Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves will finish top of Group 2 of the 2022 Thumbs Up Southern Region Football League first round if they beat Changalume Barracks away in Changalume on Saturday.
Enos Chatama’s boys will go into the tie off the back of a 3-1 victory over Mangochi United last weekend, while the hosts registered an emphatic 0-4 triumph over Mubas FC.
It is anticipated to be a tightly contested match as the two teams will look to uphold their winning momentum high.
Going off the boil in the second half of matches has been the young Bullets’ problem this season, and against Changalume they would likely look to turn things around.
On the table, their opponents this weekend are in fourth position, having lost two times and won six times from nine matches.
Bullets Reserves’ recent previous meetings against Changalume Barracks have come in cup competitions with the Blantyre side emerging victorious over the military outfit in all those meetings.
On Saturday, young Bullets will hope the case will be the same while the hosts will look to register their first win in the fixture.
The fresh graduate from Nyasa Big Bullets Youth, Happy Mphepo, who is asserting himself as a regular center-back in the Reserves squad is unlikely to travel with the rest of the team due to illness.
But, Chatama will be happy to welcome Emmanuel Saviel back to the squad after the forward missed out the previous match through suspension.
Speaking to the club media on Thursday after beating White Eagles 2-1 in a training game at the Kamuzu Stadium, Chatama spoke about the importance of the Saturday game against Changalume.
“It’s a very serious game and we have to take it seriously. We need to win at all cost if we are to win the first round in our group. Changalume are ready for us and we also have to be ready for them to carry the day.”
For nearly a decade Balaka Stadium has been the home ground for Changalume Barracks, but this season they restarted hosting opponents at their base in Zomba where Nyasa Big Bullets will look to register their ninth win of the season.
