FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves suffered their third defeat of the 2024 ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League season after going down 2-1 to Red Lions on Thursday afternoon at Kamuzu Stadium.
Royal Bokosi put the visitors ahead early, but Wongani Kaponya equalised for Bullets Reserves, sending the teams into the halftime break level. Late in the tie, Kondwani Kathumba snatched the winner for the soldiers.
What happened
The flames were up high for the two sides right from the start. Five minutes into the game, the military outfit was ahead when their forward Bokosi headed home a delivery from down the right flank.
Having conceded their first goal in five matches, our youngsters responded strongly as they now looked pretty much at home with the passing game.
Our setup would be affected as coach Enos Chatama was forced to make a first-half change following a nasty injury to Oscar Petro, who had to be replaced in the midfield role by Limbikani Kutambe.
Nonetheless, that did not dampen our momentum, as we still pushed to get back into the tie.
Following a convincing dominance, we found the breakthrough in the 20th minute. A slick pass from striker Prince Chalera released Kaponya, who rounded off the visiting ‘keeper before sliding it into the empty net to make it 1-1.
The opening half phased out with the two sides drawing 1-1, and the final chapter presented a heated battle for the winner.
Looking eager to go in front, we made inroads in cutting open the resilient Reds backline, but our finishing was never good enough.
Several changes were made in pursuit of the winner, but still, our second goal on the afternoon looked elusive.
Substitute Madalitso Safuli was presented with the best chance of the tie when he was picked by Kutambe’s cut-back pass picked him, but the midfielder fired lamely into the keeper’s hands.
With the clock quickly running down, our lads pushed desperately for the winner. Not cautious enough at the back they ended up conceding late in the tie.
Found by a long ball on the blind side, substitute Kathumba raced into the box before beating our ‘keeper, Austin Chirambo, with a low strike at the near post to make it 1-2.
A few minutes later, the referee blew the whistle, confirming our third defeat this season, and 1-2 it ended.
What it means
Thursday’s result leaves Bullets Reserves winless in the first four matches of the last eight of this year’s league campaign.
Sitting second from the bottom, we have three points while the league leaders Nyambadwe United have eight points with the same number of games played.
Coach Enos Chatama post Red Lions
“They scored first, we equalized and took total control of the game. The only problem is that we are creating chances but we are not converting them into goals.
They scored late in the last minutes of the game, something not good for the team. Now we have to be calm and look forward to future assignments.”
Looking forward
A trip to Balaka follows up for our youngsters, who will face Mwanza United in their fifth match in the last eight of the competition.
