Vanessa Issa opened the scoring before Tendai Sani completed a brace as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women whipped Red Lioness 3-1 in the Goshen-FAM Women’s Football Southern Region League at Zomba Prison Ground on Tuesday.
What happened
Bullets were on fire from the start, with Issa slotting home in the fifth minute after beating the goalkeeper before guiding the ball into an empty net. Zainab Kapanda provided the assist with a brilliant highball pass.
In the ninth minute, Margret Abel nearly equalised for the hosts, only to see her powerful effort ricocheting off the outside side netting, before Susan Phiri squandered a golden chance, firing straight at Thokozani Mwase six minutes later.
After surviving those two threats, Maggie Chombo’s girls reclaimed control of the tie, launching waves of attacks that were mostly thwarted by offside flags.
Abel netted a stunning equalizer, scoring directly from a corner kick. Initially, Red Lioness’ first corner was cleared by Tamara Mhango, but swift counter-pressure yielded another set piece. Abel seized the opportunity, expertly curling the ball past Mwase in the 23rd minute.
Chombo made her first change of the match in the 30th minute, withdrawing Mwase and replacing her with Martha Banda.
Bullets Women’s relentless pressure led to a freekick before the halftime whistle, but Sani was denied by Linda Likwenga, who superbly cleared her effort, and the two sides went for the break tied at 1-1.
Seeking renewed momentum, Chombo made another change coming from recess. Rachel Matemba and Matamando Makawa replaced Linda Nyangu and Carol Mlezo.
The two teams engaged in frantic end-to-end exchanges, but it was Bullets who nearly used the attacks in the 50th minute. Unfortunately, Issa squandered a prime scoring opportunity when she had her effort wide.
We restored our advantage five minutes later through Sani, who unleashed a breathtaking strike with a lighting quick pass from Mhango.
In the 66th minute, Kapanda missed a chance to extend our advantage. Red Lioness swiftly reacted, introducing Mwayi Banda and Grace Time for Phiri and Pamela Temba.
Melia Mulembo wasted an opportunity to level the scores, directing her shot into the side netting following Abel’s delivery in the 74th minute.
The final nail in Red Lioness’ coffin came from Sani’s 82nd-minute strike. Matemba’s exceptional pass found the 2024 league leading scorer, who coolly doubled her tally on the afternoon, securing Bullets Women’s 3-1 triumph.
What it means
With their convincing 3-1 win over Red Lioness, our women’s team has amassed 47 points from 17 matches, poised to reclaim the league title with a point from their final fixture of the campaign.
Chombo’s post-match reaction
“It was a tough game. The hosts dominated, but our girls showed determination and fought until the end. We worked on the mistakes we made in the first half and we came back strong in the second half.
“However, wasted chances remain a concern. We’ll address this in training. With the championship redemption within reach, requiring just one point, our focus intensifies.”
What next
Next Sunday marks the final league showdown for our girls as they face 11 Stars. With one point required to secure the championship over Kukoma Ntopwa Women, Chombo’s squad aims to finish strongly.
