Peter Mponda could not hide his delight after watching his charges deliver a ruthless 5-0 win over Chilumba Barracks in the FDH Bank Cup at Chitipa Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach hailed the performance as the perfect response following last week’s frustrating 3-3 draw against Karonga United in the TNM Super League, where Bullets let slip a 3-1 lead late in the game.
“This was exactly the kind of reaction we needed,” said Mponda. “I am very happy with the way we controlled the game. In the first few minutes, we struggled to settle, but once we did, we were in total control. The way we created our goals—beautiful goals—and defensively, we were solid.”
Praise for the Debutant
While Babatunde Adepoju stole the headlines with his four-goal haul, Mponda reserved special praise for debutant Khumbo Banda, who impressed on the right side of defence in his first start for the club.
“He is one of the pieces who was missing for us in terms of defending. He was very solid, and today, he was the best defender for us. I am very happy with the way he played in his first match with the club,” Mponda explained.
Selection Based on Training
The tactician, who made several changes to his starting XI, was keen to stress that his decisions were based on merit rather than rotation.
“I don’t think there is any starter who didn’t play the game. I only featured players based on how they performed in training,” he said. “We respected our opponents because they were a very physical side, and we had to throw in our best players today.”
Moving Forward
With the Round of 16 place secured, Mponda was satisfied but reminded that improvements are still required.
“Overall, I am happy, but we still need to improve in some areas,” he concluded.
Babatunde’s four goals and Chawanangwa Gumbo’s comeback strike powered Bullets into the next round, with the Nigerian striker also extending his record as the all-time top scorer in the FDH Bank Cup with 14 goals.
Switching Focus
Mponda’s men remain in the North as focus quickly shifts back to league duty. Bullets will face Chitipa United at Chitipa Stadium on Saturday before travelling to Karonga for a midweek clash against Songwe Border United ahead of the international break.
