By a late solo goal in the second half, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves defeated Ntaja Rangers 1-0 in a ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League fixture at the Kumuzu Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Just when it looked like young Maule were about to drop further points in this new campaign, captain Oscar Petro snatched a late winner to settle the tie.
The result takes Enos Chatama’s boys to eight points from four matches.
Match Highlights
Playing at home for the first time this season, Bullets Reserves struggled in the early proceedings to replicate the decent football they have put on display in their outings.
Though they looked a shadow of themselves with ball possession, our boys still managed to register several attempts at goal.
Gift Lamowa’s dink over the Rangers’ keeper missed the target by an inch. Francis Malikebu had two free-kicks tipped over the bar. It was proving to be a very unfortunate afternoon for young Maule as Prince Chalera also fluffed his chance, failing to connect to a good delivery from Limbani Kutambe.
Having survived the first half, the visitors came into the second half growing their belief, trying to catch our boys on the break.
Nonetheless, the hosts took over the steering of the tie. The deadlock remained but persistence was always there for Chatama’s boys.
With the clock fast running down, Bullets made two changes, hoping to turn things around. Madalitso Safuli and Alex Msiska separately replaced Macray Chiwaya and Chalera, changes which injected some force into our approach.
After failing to bury lots of chances they created, our boys left it late by scoring with only nine minutes to go before full-time.
In the area, the lads exchanged the ball brilliantly before Lamowa set up Petro, who was super calm to finish the wonderful team move.
There was no sign of a comeback from the visitors who came into the match with an unbeaten record and also top of Group B. Instead, the final whistle arrived with Bullets Reserves looking like they would add a second.
Chatama comments after the match
“Good result for the team, considering that we played a team which defended so deeply. They came to defend, they never attacked. They had more numbers behind the ball, it was very difficult to break them. We had numerous chances which we never converted. The boys in the second half improved and moved the ball quickly. They had good interchanging of passes until that goal. It was a tough game, but the boys showed strength, character and determination to win the game.”
Looking ahead
Three days after Wednesday’s win, young Maule will be back in action when they face one of their fiercest rivals, Ntopwa FC, in the league at the Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday in a match that will kick off at 11 am before the first team’s TNM Super League action against Mzuzu City Hammers.
