FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves were held to a 1-1 draw by Nyambadwe United in a competitive ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League Premier Division encounter at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday morning.
Both sides showed attacking intent and discipline in a tightly contested encounter, but neither managed to find the winner as the points were shared at the final whistle.
First Half Action
Bullets started brightly, controlling possession and pressing with purpose from the first whistle. Their early pressure earned a corner in the 6th minute, but Movic Banda’s header from Vincent Kampira’s cross went narrowly wide. Nyambadwe responded four minutes later with a corner of their own, though the effort drifted over the bar.
The Young Maule continued to dictate play, creating a series of half-chances. In the 16th minute, a quick exchange between Kampira and Prince Chiumia saw the latter whip in a teasing cross, but Enos Henderman couldn’t make contact.
The breakthrough came just before the half-hour mark when Movic Banda was fouled inside the area, winning a penalty for Bullets. Julius Banda stepped up confidently and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to hand his side a 1-0 lead.
Bullets looked to extend their advantage before the break, with Chiumia’s free kick forcing a defensive clearance in the 32nd minute. Further efforts from Banda, Mischek Billiat, and Henzie Manganyera came close, but the first half ended 1-0 in Bullets’ favour.
Second Half Action
The Young Maule began the second half with renewed energy, pushing for a second goal as Billiat and Kampira tested the Nyambadwe defence early on.
The visitors made a midfield reshuffle in the 59th minute to regain balance, prompting Coach Heston Munthali to respond with a double change — Brian Mwase and Oscar Petro replaced Henderman and Manganyera.
Momentum shifted in the 70th minute when Nyambadwe won a corner that resulted in a penalty. Richard Phiri converted to level the score at 1-1.
In search of a winner, Bullets introduced Hadji Steven and Prince Chalera for Billiat and Movic Banda. Late efforts from Petro and Kampira narrowly missed the target, while Nyambadwe also threatened from set pieces, forcing Bullets’ defence to stay alert.
A final substitution saw Kondwani Mhone come on for Matthews Nkunika, but neither side could find the breakthrough as the match ended all square.
Post-Match Reaction
Head coach Heston Munthali expressed disappointment with his side’s display, suggesting that complacency and a lack of urgency cost them two points.
“I’m really disappointed with today’s performance. Perhaps we underestimated our opponents, despite my warnings about matches like this,” said Munthali. “We were second to most balls, slow in our decisions, and our opponents used that to their advantage to earn a 1-1 draw.”
The coach called for renewed focus and commitment from his players ahead of the next fixture.
“We’ll go back to training and work on the areas where we fell short today. Two draws in a row isn’t what we expect of ourselves, and the boys know they must respond with more hunger and urgency. With the right focus, we’ll bounce back in the next game.”
Munthali emphasized the importance of consistency and attitude, warning that no fixture should be taken lightly.
“Every match requires full commitment. When you drop intensity or underestimate an opponent, you risk dropping points. We have to stay switched on and play with the same energy every week.”
