FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Under-19 came away with a point after a goalless draw against leaders Soche Madrid in the Blantyre District Youth Football League at Chilomoni Stadium on Wednesday morning.
First Half Action
The hosts started with high intensity, earning three corner kicks inside the opening 10 minutes, but the young Maule defence stood firm to deal with the danger.
Our first corner arrived in the 14th minute, with Blessings Lungu delivering into the box, but Soche Madrid cleared their lines. Three minutes later, Bullets made an early change, introducing Samuel Zimba for Sydney Balakasi.
By the 25th minute, the game had opened up into an end-to-end contest. Kelvin Phiri went close for Bullets, his effort missing by inches, before another corner in the 30th minute was cleared by James Wisiki. In the 38th minute, Hassan Madula connected with an Innocent Chikalamba pass but saw his shot sail narrowly wide.
Despite creating good chances, both sides went into the break level at 0-0.
Second Half Action
Bullets restarted strongly, showing dominance in possession. In the 47th minute, Jazilu Banet replaced Chikalamba, and three minutes later, Madula’s header from a Phiri corner was cleared off the line by Precious Chamangwana.
Soche Madrid threatened in the 56th minute, winning a free kick that was deflected for a corner, but the delivery drifted wide. Bullets continued to search for the opener, with Banet firing over in the 64th minute before another chance went wide moments later.
In the 71st minute, Willy Demakube made a crucial clearance to deny the hosts a scoring opportunity. Madula then had the ball in the back of the net in the 78th minute, but the assistant referee’s flag ruled it out for offside.
Both sides pushed in the closing stages but could not break the deadlock, the match ending 0-0.
Coach’s Reaction
Speaking after the game, head coach Yamikani Fodya expressed satisfaction with his side’s performance despite the lack of goals.
“I’m pleased with how the boys played today. They showed composure, created good chances, and stuck to our style throughout. Yes, we would have loved to score, but this is a development side and the priority is progress.
“Every game is a lesson, and matches like this help them grow in confidence and experience. Defensively, we were disciplined, and the clean sheet is a positive to take home. We’ll keep working on improving communication, especially between the backline and the goalkeeper, but there’s no pressure — the focus is on developing them, and the results will follow in time.”
Fodya also praised the team’s defensive discipline and fighting spirit, highlighting the clean sheet as a positive takeaway.
