FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women suffered a 2-1 loss to Kukoma Ntopwa Women, bringing our journey in the 2024 Goshen-FAM National Championship to an end on Monday afternoon at Mpira Stadium.
The first women’s Blantyre derby of 2025 lived up to expectations, as the two fierce rivals clashed in an intense battle for a spot in the semifinals.
The opening half
The match began with fierce intensity, as Ntopwa wasted no time in showing their intent. Within the first ten minutes, a threatening corner from Kondawo Banda tested Bullets’ defense, but Tendai Sani managed to clear the danger effectively.
Bullets opened the scoring as Shira Dimba broke the deadlock in the 12th minute. Receiving a clever pass from Sani, the experienced forward unleashed a perfectly curled strike from outside the box, finding the far-left corner and leaving Ntopwa goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo helpless.
Ntopwa, however, refused to be deterred. Ester Chaulula brought the visitors level with a composed finish after a well-placed pass from Chimwemwe Bonongwe. The equalizer lifted Ntopwa’s spirits, and just two minutes later, Chaulula had another opportunity to put her team ahead, but she squandered the chance following a lapse in Bullets’ defense.
As the first half advanced, Bullets took control, dominating possession and creating opportunities. In the 40th minute, Zainab Kapanda found herself with a golden chance to restore our lead, but her effort was easily stopped by the Malawi number one ‘keeper. The teams went into halftime deadlocked at 1-1, setting the stage for an exciting second half.
Second-half action
Ntopwa emerged from the break with renewed energy. Less than a minute after the restart, Banda capitalized on a brilliant pass from Alice Brazi to put her team in front with a clinical finish.
Bullets responded with determination, pressing relentlessly for an equalizer. In the 49th minute, Kapanda had a prime opportunity to level the score after being setup by Dimba, but Sikelo made a spectacular reflex save to deny our number 14.
The pressure from the visitors continued, and just before the hour mark, Asimenye Mwanyongo came to Bullets’ rescue with a vital clearance off the line to thwart Chaulula from extending her side’s lead.
In response, Bullets coach Maggie Chombo introduced fresh faces to reinvigorate her side, bringing on Bridget Malemia in goal, along with Matamando Makawa and Triphonia Banda, after 60 minutes. Despite their efforts, Ntopwa’s defense remained unyielding, weathering a barrage of attacks with resilience through the 78th minute.
Ntopwa then made a tactical substitution of their own, introducing Mary Chindeya in the 80th minute. Moments later, they earned a corner kick, which Olivia Phikani stepped up to take. However, her attempt missed the target, much to the relief of the Bullets.
When the final whistle blew, Ntopwa celebrated a well-earned 2-1 victory, securing their place in the next round and ending Bullets’ 2024 Goshen-FAM National Women’s Championship campaign.
Chombo’s post-match thoughts
The loss means our women’s team has missed out on advancing to the semifinals of the competition for the second consecutive year, having been eliminated at the same stage last season. Bullets last claimed the national championship in 2022 when they defeated DD Sunshine, now known as Silver Strikers Ladies, to secure the title.
Chombo’s post-match thoughts
“It’s a tough loss for us. We had our chances but didn’t capitalize when it mattered most, and we paid the price for our mistakes. This is not the end for us. This experience will serve as a lesson and a source of motivation to get better. Our journey continues. We’ll regroup, refocus, and come back stronger next season. Credit to Ntopwa, they were clinical when it counted.”
