FCB Nyasa Big Bullets wing forward Lanjesi Nkhoma was the biggest winner at the Castel Challenge Cup awards as he walked away with the Player of the Tournament award on Wednesday night in Blantyre.
Our shot stopper Richard Chimbamba also scooped the accolade for the Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
On the night, Bullets were also officially crowned the 2023 Castel Challenge Cup champions.
Nkhoma, who scored two goals in the competition against Civil Service United in the two-legged quarterfinals and a strike in the final against Silver Strikers, beat teammate Hassan Kajoke and Silver’s Patrick Macheso for the top prize.
He had two assists to his name in the four matches played in The People’s Team’s successful season as Kalisto Pasuwa’s men won a quadruple.
Nkhoma reacted: “I am very excited to win the award in its first season. It wasn’t easy as we were forced to play many games but, in the end, we did it as a club. I am looking forward to next season.”
Chimbamba kept three clean sheets in four games he featured for the champions. He played a vital role when he saved a penalty during Bullets’ Blantyre derby win over rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the semifinal phase of the competition.
He beat Silver’s Pilirani Mapira and Bangwe All Stars’ Rahaman John (on loan from Bullets before he left last month) to scoop the award.
Nkhoma is the second Bullets player to win the biggest award for a tournament in the 2023 campaign after Patrick Mwaungulu scooped the Player of the Season award at the TNM Super League awards last month.
Emmanuel Saviel, who was loaned to Bangwe All Stars from Bullets last season, scooped the Discovery of the Tournament award as well as the Golden Boot, which was shared among five players who scored five goals each during the competition. The striker is now with Civil Service United on a season-long loan.
