FCB Nyasa Big Bullets suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Blue Eagles at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday afternoon — our first defeat at home in this TNM Super League campaign.
The result sees The People’s Team remain second on the log with 27 points from 12 matches, six behind city rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, who have played one more game.
First Half
Fresh off our Airtel Top 8 Cup triumph in Lilongwe last weekend, the squad returned home aiming to bounce back in the league following last week’s defeat away to Civil Service United. But it wasn’t to be, as Blue Eagles claimed their first win against us in Blantyre in ten years.
Head coach Peter Mponda rang four changes to the side that won the cup final, handing league starts to Paul Master and Peter Banda, while Ephraim Kondowe and Frank Willard also made the XI. Willard wore the armband in place of Lloyd Aaron, who completed his move to Qatari side Muaither SC earlier this week.
Despite dominating possession, we struggled to unlock a compact Eagles defence. The visitors, well-drilled under Dekrerk Msakakuona, limited space and broke up our rhythm in the final third.
Our attack couldn’t quite find its flow in the opening period, with no shots on target registered. The best chance of the half came when Salima’s brilliant solo run created an opportunity for Kondowe, whose effort was blocked by defender Ganizani James.
At the other end, Eagles threatened on the counter and came close through Laurent Banda, but the forward couldn’t keep his effort down from close range.
Second Half
Coach Mponda made a triple change at the break, bringing on Hassan Kajoke, Babatunde Adepoju, and Henry Chiwaya to add firepower in the second half.
The changes brought renewed energy, but chances remained limited. Chiwaya made a crucial interception to deny Laurent Banda on the break in the 57th minute, and Salima went close with a header from a set piece in the 65th minute.
Our best chance of the game came in the 72nd minute. Kajoke was played through on goal, but with just the goalkeeper to beat, he couldn’t keep his strike on target.
The visitors took the lead in the 79th minute. After we had a free-kick blocked, Eagles broke quickly through Sholigah Stambuli, who found Laurent Banda with a pinpoint cross — and the forward made no mistake to put the visitors ahead.
We threw everything forward in the final minutes and came inches away from an equaliser when Kondowe’s thunderous strike hit the post deep into stoppage time. It was not to be, and the match ended 1-0 in favour of the visitors.
What It Means
It was our first home loss of the 2025 TNM Super League season, and also the first time we’ve suffered back-to-back league defeats in several years.
Despite the setback, we remain well-placed in the title race, sitting second with 27 points from 12 matches — six behind the leaders with a game in hand.
What’s Next
Next, we head north for a midweek league outing against Mzuzu City Hammers at Rumphi Stadium this Thursday. The focus now shifts to responding positively and returning to winning ways.
