A first-half strike from Maxwell Phodo was all FCB Nyasa Big Bullets needed to secure all three points with a 1-0 victory over Mafco FC in a closely contested TNM Super League encounter at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Kalisto Pasuwa’s men faced the soldiers 72 hours after drawing 0-0 against Mzuzu City Hammers in our Northern Region outing, preceded by a 1-0 victory over Baka City last Sunday.
What happened
Pasuwa made two changes to the side that shared the spoils with the Hammers, replacing Kesten Simbi and Chikumbutso Salima with Yamikani Mologeni and Phodo.
The hosts created their first opportunity in the 13th minute when Mologeni made an excellent run onto the far right before delivering a cross into the box, which Yankho Singo flicked to Babatunde Adepoju, but the forward’s header went narrowly wide.
Bullets were able to break the deadlock in the 15th minute in a brilliant fashion.
Babatunde was the architect of the goal. He won the ball from Stain Malata before spotting Phodo to the far left. The striker moved three steps before curving the ball beyond Christopher Mikuwa’s reach into the bottom corner, 1-0.
The game was being played with high intensity, but neither side created more goal-scoring opportunities until the 24th minute when Stanley Billiat sent a delicious pass into the area. Babatunde, Phodo, and Wongani Lungu all missed the ball without anyone to defend.
In the 33rd minute, Bullets had a lucky escape when Chrispin Mapemba was caught off-guard in the line of duty, allowing Mphatso Philemon to move clear of sight at the goal. However, the striker was denied by an excellent save from Innocent Nyasulu for a corner kick that was well-defended by captain Gomezgani Chirwa.
The home team was awarded three back-to-back set pieces but failed to utilise them as Mikuwa was on top of his game with well-timed saves.
With four minutes left to play before recess, Lungu, who was having a fantastic game, found Phodo in the offensive half. Instead of laying the ball down to Babatunde, the attacker took matters into his own hands and fired wide from close range.
After the break, Bullets continued from where they left off, pressing from all angles, but they lacked the finishing composure in the final third.
With 49 minutes played, Mologeni did brilliantly when he delivered yet another excellent cross into the box and landed straight at Ernest Petro, who quickly decided to shoot at goal only to be denied by Francis Black, who blocked the goal-bound strike.
Stereo Gondwe brought on Ben Mbewe for Auspicious Kadzongola to take control of the midfield, which Lungu, Petro, and Singo mostly dominated.
But the visitors posed no threat as they were completely closed down by Chirwa’s led back four.
Lungu should have doubled Bullets’ lead when the attacking midfielder made his way into Mafco’s penalty box only to blast his effort over the crossbar for a goal-kick.
At the other end, Mafco had an opportunity to punish us when Duncan Mwale’s freekick met Philemon inside the box. But the striker headed wide.
Pasuwa brought in Salima and Chawanangwa Gumbo for Billiat and Petro in the 70th minute.
Immediately after his introduction, Salima thought he had won a penalty when he dribbled past Vitumbiko Phiri and Paul Ndlovu before being brought down inside the area, but referee Cassim Shaibu waved play-on.
Moments later, Gumbo had a chance to punish the visitors when defenders widened the gap and left the goal unattended, but the midfielder, instead of shooting at the goal, passed the ball to Mologeni, who was offside.
At 80 minutes, Pasuwa replaced Phodo for Lameck Gamphani, whose introduction added more firepower as the winger saw his powerful effort stopped by Mikuwa.
In the 84th minute, the winger was at it again. His brilliant run found Babatunde on the edge of the box, but the striker failed to shoot at goal because Ndlovu impeded him.
In the additional minutes, things turned ugly when Gamphani delivered a dangerous pass into the box, which Babatunde and Lungu missed.
However, Mikuwa deliberately punched Lungu, and when the midfielder was down, two Mafco FC players stamped their boot studs on the helpless midfielder, sustaining deep cuts in the process. Only the Mafco ‘keeper picked a yellow card for the row.
Despite this, Bullets held on to collect all three points and kept a third clean sheet in a row for the first time this season.
Lungu was named Player of the Match.
What it means
The win sees The People’s Team maintaining the third position with 37 points from 22 games.
What next
Bullets’ next fixture is a Castel Challenge Cup Round of 64 tie against non-league side Kumanda Stars on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium.
