FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have moved to seventh position in the TNM Super League following a hard-earned 3-2 victory over Creck Sporting Club at Kamuzu Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Two late first-half goals from Maxwell Phodo and Babatunde Adepoju gave Bullets a 2-0 lead at the break before the visitors scored two quick goals after the recess to level the scoreline.
Ernest Petro restored our lead to secure all three points for the defending champions.
What happened
From the word go, this was a tough assignment for Kalisto Pasuwa’s men who needed to collect all the points to move from their unfamiliar position in the standings.
Pasuwa made three changes to the starting XI that defeated Chitipa United 4-2 at home on Sunday, replacing Richard Chimbamba, Lloyd Aaron and Chikumbutso Salima with Innocent Nyasulu, Yankho Singo and Maxwell Phodo.
With just four minutes played, Frank Willard was the first to try to find the back of the net. However, his long-range effort hit the post.
The dimension of the game changed soon after Bullets’ first attempt at a goal. The visitors took control of the proceedings with their secondary-balls style of play against the home team.
In the seventh minute, Bullets lost possession to Muhammad Sulumba, who made a run into the penalty area and unleashed a volley that was punched away by Nyasulu.
Moments later, the former Bullets forward had his effort ruled out for offside when he connected well with Hadji Wali’s cross from the right.
At this moment, the hosts were under siege and they nearly conceded a goal in the 11th minute when Wali spotted Sulumba unmarked inside the penalty box. The forward defied the force of gravity to release a powerful header that was well saved by Nyasulu and from the rebound, Vincent Nyangulu blasted his strike over the crossbar.
At the other end of the field, Bullets created two chances in succession but failed to utilize the opportunities.
In the 14th minute, a delicious cross from Stanley Billiat bound for Babatunde was intercepted for a corner kick which was easily dealt with by the opposition goalkeeper Charles Chisale.
In the 21st minute, Phodo made a good run to the left side and delivered an excellent cross into the box, but Petro failed to connect the ball into the net when Chisale was already beaten and the goal wide open.
Signs of frustration could be seen amongst Bullets who were now under intense pressure to get a goal.
From the half-hour mark to the 40th minute, Babatunde, Precious Sambani, Phodo and Willard attempted long-range efforts without any impact.
The breakthrough came in the 45th minute.
A move from Sambani to Petro released Babatunde who just laid the ball to Phodo inside the area and the attacker wasted to curve the ball beyond Chisale’s reach, 1-0.
We doubled our lead in additional minutes of the opening half. Petro and Babatunde exchanged passes before the Nigerian found his way into the box and dribbled past Chris Lwemba before firing at goal to make it 2-0.
After the recess, things took an ugly turn for the defending champions. Just a minute into the half, Creck pulled one back. We failed to close down spaces and allowed George Chaomba to set Sulumba free and the forward made no mistake in slotting the ball past Nyasulu into the bottom far corner, 1-2.
As the visitors were still celebrating their goal, they added another one in a similar fashion.
Petro lost possession to Nyangulu, who sent the ball to Sulumba down the right flank. Using his experience, the forward moved into the area with pace before firing past Nyasulu, 2-2.
This was the lowest moment for Bullets as Pasuwa’s men struggled to find their rhythm.
With 53 minutes played on the clock, Stain Patrick replaced Adebola Ajibola for the visitors.
The hosts restored their lead in the 55th minute. Billiat saw his shot hitting the post, and from the rebound, Phodo’s effort was blocked by Wali for a corner kick, which resulted in the third goal.
Billiat played a short one to Phodo, who targeted the top corner, and the ball did exactly what he wanted, rolling over every dark blue shirt and was bound to go in, but to make sure that we had the much-needed winner, Petro finished off the move into the net, 3-2.
It was an intense moment for both teams, with Crerk pressing from the right while Babatunde kept tormenting Talandira Chigaula’s led back-four.
Mtetemera’s side suffered a blow in the 56th minute when Jauma Edward replaced Lwemba after the former Chitipa United defender picked an injury.
The hosts were struggling to deal with Creck’s crosses into the box and they should have had a goal in the 60th minute but Sulumba fired wide from Frank Phiri’s cross.
Bullets had a chance to extend their lead in the 64th minute when Singo made a brilliant run and released Babatunde who rounded off Chisale only to see his effort missing the goal mouth with an inch.
Precious Phiri replaced Billiat in the 66th minute as Pasuwa looked to increase the attacking prowess and possibly get another goal to ensure a smooth finish to the match.
The pressure was mounting too much on the hosts as the visitors, who introduced Hardy Ng’andu, were pressing in search of another goal.
Pasuwa, with seven minutes left to play, brought in Chawanangwa Gumbo for Petro.
This was clear; close down spaces, offload the midfield and protect the lead at all cost.
Even though Crerk pushed for a goal, Bullets held on to a 3-2 victory as the defending champions recorded their second back-to-back victory for the first time in the final round of the league campaign.
What it means
Following the midweek victory, Bullets have moved to position seven, now with 30 points from 19 games. We are the only side to play less than 20 matches and have reduced the gap between us and league leaders Silver Strikers to 18 points.
With the loss in Blantyre, Creck have dropped to fifth position in the standings with 31 points from 21 games.
What next
Next on the menu for The People’s Team is a trip to the North where we will face Baka City at Karonga Stadium on Sunday and Mzuzu City Hammers at Mzuzu Stadium next Wednesday.
