FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves came from behind to draw 1-1 against Zingwangwa United in the ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League quarter-final first leg at Mpira Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
On the score sheet for the young Bullets was Sladge Sanudi who marvellously cancelled out Corazo Banda’s opener for the hosts.
What happened
The two sides, who, before the tie had already met twice this season in the Nyasa Capital Finance Cup, started the quarter-final playing a cautious game.
As the match unfolded, it was the defending champions who started to see more of the ball and made inroads in creating chances.
The most glorious chances fell for our striker Gift Lamowa who at the stroke of half an hour failed to tap in after being set up by Wilson Jacob from down the left.
A few minutes later, the striker was presented with another chance when he was picked by a cross from Chrispin Mapemba but again he couldn’t make a proper connection.
Against the run of play, the hosts got the lead first through Banda, who converted a penalty kick that was won by his captain Mwai Banda after being brought down in the area by our center-back Mussah Bwanali.
Returning from the interval, it was the hosts who looked dangerous when going forward but squandered two clear chances inside ten minutes.
Having fluffed their chances, Zingwangwa surrendered the one-goal lead when Sanudi finished a wonderful team move with a low strike to the far post in the 62nd minute.
At 1-1, we then took complete control of the game and continued to create so many chances but the finishing touch was always missing.
There was a strong sense that the winner was imminent for us but it remained elusive until the final whistle arrived, 1-1 it finished.
What it means
The tie is not over yet as the two sides will face each other in the return leg at the Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
Having scored an away goal, any clean sheet result at home will see our youngsters progressing to the semis of the competition where Fomo awaits.
What the manager said
“It was a good game. We created so many chances in the first half but gave away a goal we shouldn’t be giving. If you can see, Zingwangwa did not come to us that much. We attacked a lot and passed the ball a lot. All in all, the tie is not over as the return leg remains to be played,” reacted Chatama.
Next
After the midweek result, the defending champions will now have two days to prepare for the return leg which will be played at the Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Starting XI
Austin Chirambo, Chifundo Sapuwa, Mussah Bwanali, Raphick Bahati, Gift Jossam, Macray Chiwaya, Sladge Sanudi, Blessings Kanowa, Chrispin Mapemba, Gift Lamowa, Wilson Jacob
Subs
Wongani Kaponya, Limbani Kutambe, Andrew Lameck, Francis Malikebu
