FCB Nyasa Big Bullets U17 head coach Yamikani Fodya says he was satisfied with his side’s performance despite settling for a 1-1 draw against Ascent Academy in their opening match of the Kafue Celtic Under-17 Tournament in Lusaka on Friday.
Substitute Chikondi Howa’s second-half equaliser cancelled out Gift Chibala’s opener for Ascent Academy as the young Bullets earned a point from their first outing in the competition.
Reflecting on the contest, Fodya praised his players for the effort and character they showed after going behind, highlighting the improvement they produced after the interval.
“The boys put in a lot of effort. We were 1-0 down, but they fought hard to get the equaliser. There was much improvement, especially in the second half,” he said.
Fodya explained that the team’s first-half approach was partly influenced by the long road trip from Malawi and a deliberate plan to assess the opposition before making tactical adjustments.
“We travelled from Malawi and arrived on Thursday morning. Part of our game plan was to see how they were playing, which is why you saw a different performance in the second half.”
While pleased with the comeback, the Bullets mentor insisted that the overall performance mattered more than the result and believes there is still room for improvement as the tournament progresses.
“It’s not about the result, it’s about the performance. I’m very satisfied because the boys played good football. We have two games tomorrow, so we will plan accordingly and look at where we can improve.”
Attention now turns to Saturday’s fixtures, with Bullets set to face both hosts Kafue Celtic U17 and Zambia Select U17. Having watched the two sides in action, Fodya is confident his team will be prepared for the challenge.
“They are good teams. They are tactically and technically sound, but we have a plan for them. We watched them and I think we will have good games.”
Match report: Bullets 1-1 Ascent Academy
Bullets return to action on Saturday for the final two rounds of the round-robin competition. The young Bullets will face hosts Kafue Celtic U17 at 09:00 before taking on Zambia Select U17 later in the afternoon as they look to build on their opening-point haul and strengthen their position in the standings.
