FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have progressed to the quarterfinals of the Castel Challenge Cup following a 1-0 victory over Hilltop United on Wednesday afternoon at Mzuzu Stadium.
Ephraim Kondowe’s lone strike in the stoppages of the opening half was the only difference as Kalisto Pasuwa’s men knocked the non-league side out of the competition.
What happened
The People’s Team struggled to cope with the bumpy and dry pitch, and from the word go, it was evident that the defending champions were in for a tough afternoon.
Bullets, good with a passing game, couldn’t even complete five passes due to the condition of the field.
The opponents knew they had an upper hand over the visitors and had to frustrate Kalisto Pasuwa’s men with their long-high balls.
Wares Chavura had a chance to pounce on the visitors but saw his long-range volley missing the upright with an inch.
It was a game of a few chances, and the play wasn’t very convincing, especially from Bullets who were yet to adapt to the pitch.
Hilltop had another attempt at goal in the 20th minute through Charles Nyasulu, who headed straight at Richard Chimbamba in goals for the defending champions.
At the other end, Pasuwa’s men created their first goal-scoring opportunity in the 21st minute when Wongani Lungu set up Ernest Petro, who forced Frank Kaira to make his first save for a corner kick which we couldn’t utilize.
Kondowe missed a glorious opportunity in the 23rd minute when he failed to finish off a move from Alick Lungu inside the penalty box by sending his effort wide when the goal was open for an easy tap-in.
As the time was fast ticking, there were signs of frustration amongst Bullets players who kept losing the ball unnecessarily to the opponents.
It was still goalless with the half-hour mark played. For the next five minutes, Bullets pressed from all angles in a desperate bid for a goal, but Kaira was in control of his penalty box, and with the experience of Ntopijo Njewa, formerly of Moyale Barracks, Maule posed no major threat in the final third.
The hosts failed to capitalise on a freekick they won closer to our penalty box from which Njewa hit the four-man wall organised by Gomezgani Chirwa.
Long at last, Bullets broke the deadlock in the second minute of the additional minutes of the first half.
Stanley Billiat started the move from a corner kick as the winger exchanged passes with Petro before laying the ball to Wongani Lungu. The midfielder set up Kondowe, who beat the offside trap to put the ball into the net, 0-1.
This was a relief to Bullets who were avoiding going into the final half with the scoreline at 0-0.
After the recess, Kondowe, who picked up a knock before half-time, and Alick Lungu were replaced by Lameck Gamphani and Kenneth Pasuwa.
The final half started the way it ended with a few chances, and for Bullets, it was just a matter of managing their slender lead, with the hope of finding a chance to increase the arrears.
With 51 minutes played, Babatunde had an opportunity to register his name on the scoresheet, however, the Nigerian forward was unlucky to tap in from Billiat’s excellent delivery into the box.
The hosts brought in Ephraim Chinula and Dan Sibale for Moffat Kapira and Lulutirani Munthali as they looked to improve their striking force, which wasn’t making any positive strides against a defensive wall of Chirwa and Nickson Nyasulu.
Pasuwa, in the 62nd minute, brought in Lloyd Aaron for Billiat.
Lungu should have found the back of the net in the 77th minute when he found himself on the receiving end of Pasuwa’s corner kick, unfortunately, the former Mzuzu City Hammers midfielder headed wide from close range.
Bullets made another substitution with ten minutes of regulation time left on the clock as Pasuwa brought in another Mzuzu-grown midfielder, Chawanangwa Gumbo, for Gamphani.
There were two chances for Bullets in the 81st minute and 87th minute of the match.
Pasuwa delivered a good ball from a setpiece to Babatunde, who saw his goal-bound header blocked by Tulupi Nthungwa, and from the rebound, Lungu blasted his effort over the crossbar when he only needed a touch to put the ball into the net.
In the additional minutes, Lungu missed again. Spotted by Aaron, our number 19 couldn’t lower his effort as he fired over the crossbar for a goal kick to the hosts and after the final whistle, Pasuwa’s men triumphed, 1-0.
What it means and looking forward
The win means the Castel Champions Cup holders have secured a place in the last eight of the competition and will have a stop at Dedza Stadium on Saturday to take on MMF Marine for a place in the semifinals.
Pasuwa’s post-match reaction
“It was a game in which we were very complacent, and you saw how these boys were playing. We talk about the surface, but we have been playing in these pitches, and they need to get used to such conditions.
“[Hilltop] contained us by making sure that we didn’t score early, which was good on their side, but it was the mentality aspect of our players. The way they approached the game. The team was flat, and we couldn’t push the way we used to,” reacted our head coach.
He went on to comment: “Possession-based football can only be possible when you are playing on a good pitch, but not here. This pitch is very bumpy, and you could see the way [Bullets] were missing balls and even failing to pass the ball to each other as the ball was bouncing every time, hence making it very difficult for us to play football.”
