FCB Nyasa Big Bullets started the 2025 pre-season tour with a 2-1 defeat against Kamuzu Barracks at Champions Stadium in Mponela on Sunday afternoon.
New head coach Peter Mponda used the match as a testing ground to evaluate his squad ahead of the new season. Despite the loss, the outing offered valuable insights for the team’s preparation.
The opening half
Bullets found themselves trailing 2-0 within the first 15 minutes. Chawanangwa Gumbo lost possession to John Banda, who quickly set up John Mchema for a simple finish past Richard Chimbamba, making it 1-0.
The People’s Team struggled to find their rhythm and grew visibly frustrated by KB’s disciplined defensive structure, which stifled our attack.
While attempting to find an equaliser, Bullets conceded again. A foul committed by trialist Henry Chiwaya in KB’s half gave Hope Namadzunda the opportunity to launch a long ball our half. Spotting Chimbamba off his line, Mchema lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper as it rolled into the net past a static defence, doubling the military side’s advantage to 2-0.
Mponda responded by substituting Clyde Senanji and Gumbo for Blessings Mpokera and Yamikani Mologeni.
By the 25-minute mark, Bullets were yet to register a shot on target, while KB came close to a third goal. Chiwaya was beaten once again by Arnold Masamba, who delivered a threatening cross into the box, but Chimbamba managed to intercept.
Bullets’ first real chance came in the 30th minute when Mpokera directed a shot straight at KB goalkeeper Charles Chisale from a corner kick. Moments later, Wongani Lungu also tried his luck, but Chisale was up to the task with a solid save.
Their best chance to reduce the deficit came in the 39th minute when Hassan Kajoke was brought down by Vincent Salawira in the penalty area. However, the forward’s spotkick was comfortably saved by Chisale, leaving KB’s two-goal cushion intact and they went into the break leading 2-0.
Second-half action
Mponda made further changes for the final period, introducing Ephraim Kondowe, Babatunde Adepoju, and new signing Dominic Musonda in place of Maxwell Phodo, Chiwaya, and Chikumbutso Salima.
The tempo of the match in the second half was far more subdued compared to the intensity of the opening half. While KB prioritized defending their lead, Bullets pressed hard to pull one back.
Mpokera came close again in the 60th minute with a long-range effort that missed the target by a whisker. Looking for a breakthrough, Mponda brought on Mike Mkwate and Sean McBrams for Kajoke and Lungu in the 69th minute, hoping to stabilize the midfield and ignite the attack.
In the 75th minute, Kondowe created a golden opportunity by cutting through KB’s defence and finding Babatunde unmarked in the box. However, Namadzunda blocked the forward’s shot, forcing back-to-back corners that KB successfully defended.
Bullets finally made a breakthrough in the 79th minute, albeit through an own goal by Namadzunda. The KB defender failed to clear Mkwate’s effort inside the six-yard box, allowing the ball into the back of the net to bring the score to 2-1.
Despite relentless pressure from Bullets in the dying minutes, Kamuzu Barracks held firm to hand us a 2-1 defeat in our pre-season opener.
Mponda’s thoughts
“I’m pleased with our second-half performance. We struggled in the first half, but the team showed resilience after the break. This is just the start, and we’ll build on this as we prepare for the new season. I was particularly impressed with how Yankho Singo performed in central defence. He delivered a solid display for us. Dominic Musonda also showed promise, and with more time, he’ll only get better. Overall, the game highlighted the areas where we need to improve, which will push us to sharpen up before the season begins.”
What’s next for Bullets?
Bullets will now shift their focus to the Sapitwa 4 bonanza, scheduled for next weekend at the Mulanje Park. The pre-season tournament will feature Creck Sporting Club, Ekhaya FC, Mighty Tigers, and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
