We ended our winless streak in the TNM Super League with a convincing 3-0 victory over Fomo FC on Wednesday afternoon at the Kamuzu Stadium.
Maxwell Gasten Phodo and Babatunde Adepoju struck before the interval and the substitute Stanley Biliati nailed the win in the second half.
How it unfolded
Although carrying no real threat, the reigning champions, who went into the match coming from a 1-1 draw against Civil Service United on Sunday, kept the visitors pinned in their own half for the first five minutes.
Fomo looked to break on the counter but was thwarted on every attempt by a Nickson Nyasulu-led back-line.
To settle the nerves, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men intensified their intent for the opener with a lot of activity in the final third.
Exactly at the stroke of a quarter an hour, we were in front. The Mulanje-based side failed to deal with a set piece and the ball fell kindly to Phodo who, unmarked in the box, fired a low shot that went agonizingly past the visiting goalie Richard Mtekateka to make it 1-0.
With the lead, Maule poured forward venomously, especially through the right-hand side where Chikumbutso Salima proved to be slippery to his marker in the early stages.
After registering the highest number of successful take-ons in the first half an hour, Salima would then turn into a provider when his well-weighted corner-kick was headed home by Babatunde to double our lead in the 39th minute as the Nigerian scored his second goal in the league this season and a third in all competitions.
Meeting Bullets first team for the first time in a competitive match following their promotion from the Premier Division, the visitors had their moments but struggled to get a shot on target. Further chances were there for Maule but the scoreline could only read 2-0 at halftime.
Looking to be more offensive, Pasuwa replaced Chrispin Mapemba with Biliati at the start of the second half.
Tidy Phodo, who had been brilliant in terms of ball security, nearly made it three but fired wide 12 minutes after the restart following some neat exchange of passes with Biliati on his way into the box.
Past the hour mark, Anthony Mfune and Kenneth Pasuwa replaced Babatunde and Phodo as we aimed to make things sure.
The substitutions eventually sparked the second half as Biliati got himself on the scoresheet in the 72nd minute after being set up by Gomezgani Chirwa who was released by a well-decided pass from substitute Pasuwa.
Arthur Kalondora had a chance to reduce the arrears for the visitors shortly after that but his volley went over the crossbar.
With a long trip to Karonga after the midweek fixture in mind, Pasuwa took off Salima and Lloyd Aaron for Sean McBrams and Yankho Singo to finish the last minutes of the tie.
Two minutes before time, the champions were dealt with the blow of losing Mfune, who was stretchered off with what looked to be a muscle issue.
For most of the added three minutes, the visitors kept the ball but The People’s Team had already put their 13th league match of the season to bed, 3-0 it finished.
Nyasulu impresses with solid rearguard action
Voted the Super League of Malawi Player of the Match at the end of the tie, the centre-back was everywhere, reading and interrupting Fomo’s assaults to keep a clean sheet for Maule.
Nyasulu was always first on the ball, no Fomo forward liked to go in a duel against him with the physical prowess he put up on Wednesday.
What it means
The victory means Pasuwa’s men returned to winning ways in the league after we last recorded our TNM Super League win this campaign in May.
With 20 points now, the reigning champions have moved one step up in the league standings to fifth position, dislodging Creck Sporting Club who were beaten 2-1 at Civil on the same afternoon.
The defeated visitors remain in position 12 with 14 points, five behind the relegation zone.
Looking forward
The People’s Team will have no respite after today’s morale-boosting win, they will hit the road tonight to face Karonga United in the Northern Region next Sunday.
