Captain Sharon Dzimau opened the scoring from the spot before Tendai Sani completed a hat trick as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women whipped Kukoma Ntopwa Women 4-0 in the Goshen-FAM Women’s Football Southern Region League at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
What happened
Bullets were on fire from the start, with Dzimau converting a penalty in the third minute after Olivia Phikani handled the ball in the box.
The early goal sparked a thrilling match, with Maggie Chombo’s women dictating the pace against Isaac Jomo Osman’s side.
Sani was a constant threat, with her shot in the ninth minute forcing Ntopwa’s Mercy Sikelo to make a spectacular save.
Shabero Bengo had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 10th minute, but her shot sailed wide, much to the relief of the Bullets ladies’ defence.
The female Bullets continued to press, with Sani scoring her first goal in the 11th minute, assisted by Asimenye Mwanyongo.
Kandowo Banda had a chance to pull one back for Ntopwa, but her shot went over the bar, and the visitors’ dominance continued.
The turning point came in the 27th minute when Rose Alufandika was shown a red card for a bad challenge on Grace Yotamu, leaving Ntopwa to play with 10 players for the remainder of the match.
Despite being a player down, Ntopwa refused to give up, with Mary Chindeya’s introduction in the 33rd minute providing a spark.
The first half ended with Maule ladies leading 2-0, leaving Ntopwa a mountain to climb in the second half.
Ntopwa came out fighting in the final period. They won a free kick outside the box in the 46th minute, but Sani cleared the danger with our goalkeeper Thokozani Mwase already beaten.
Bullets continued to attack, with Sani’s shot in the 52nd minute being deflected for a corner. The resulting short corner was taken by Sani to Dzimau, who sent the ball into the area, but Lyness Mbera was well-positioned to clear it away.
Bullets Women’s pressure finally paid more dividends in the 83rd minute, with Sani extending our lead to 3-0, assisted by Yotamu.
The icing on the cake came in the 90th minute, with Sani scoring her third goal on the day and Bullets’ fourth, assisted by substitute Ioulia Yiannakis, who came on in the 87th minute to replace Matamando Makawa.
The People’s Team sealed a resounding 4-0 win over the 2023 FAM Women’s Football National Champions.
What it means
Following the convincing 4-0 win over Ntopwa on Sunday afternoon, Bullets Women move to 15 points, and are top of the league standings.
What Chombo said after the match
“We’re absolutely delighted with the win. The team played exceptionally well, and it was a great team effort. We knew Ntopwa would be a tough opponent, but our players rose to the challenge and executed our game plan perfectly.
“Sani’s hat-trick was a standout performance, and she’s been working hard in training to improve her finishing. The whole team deserves credit though. Our defence was solid, and our midfield controlled the game.
“Going forward, we’ll keep working on our weaknesses and building on our strengths. We’ve got a tough schedule ahead, but we’re confident in our abilities. We’ll take it one game at a time and focus on our next opponent.”
