FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Under 19s advanced to the quarterfinals of the African Herbal Mixture Cup following a dramatic hard-fought 1-0 win over Ntopwa Youth at Mpira Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
What happened
The visitors started brightly, winning an early corner in the third minute. Kondwani Mwalija stepped up to take it, but his effort was cleared by the Bullets defense.
Moments later, Kelvin Chimodzi had a golden opportunity to put our youngsters ahead, but his strike was superbly stopped by Peter Mwanyongwa, forcing a corner kick. Prince Jamali and Charles Kasalanga combined quickly, but Ntopwa’s defense stood firm to clear the danger.
The action continued to heat up as Ntopwa won another corner in the 17th minute, taken by Mayamiko Maleta but Hopeson Phiri was there to diffuse the threat.
Bullets responded with a free kick just outside the box three minutes later, Jamali stepped up and unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled the upper post, leaving the goalkeeper stranded and the crowd gasping in disbelief.
Moments later, Bullets squandered another golden chance, when Mpinda failing to convert after being expertly set up by Anthony Soko.
The momentum began to shift in our U19s favor as they dominated possession and pressed high, winning another set piece in the 27th minute. However, Jamali’s effort sailed wide, leaving the score line unchanged.
It was goalless after the opening 40 minutes, with both teams failing to break the deadlock despite numerous chances.
The second half kicked off with the visitors winning a free kick, but their effort was comfortably collected by Phiri.
Eight minutes before the hour mark, Ntopwa’s Hanniph Robert missed a sitter after Bullets’ defense faltered, much to the relief of the home fans.
Young Maule continued to push forward. The youngsters won a free kick on the edge of the box. Jamali’s effort was saved by the ‘keeper, forcing a corner. From the resulting set piece, Soko connected but saw his shot deflected for another corner. Thole Sachenja stepped up, but Ntopwa’s defense remained alert to the danger in the 64th minute.
In a bid to inject fresh energy, Yamikani Fodya made a triple substitution in the 66th minute, bringing on Petro Biziwiki, Steven Bika, and Pemphero Mdedza.
The changes paid off as the game turned into an end-to-end thriller, with both teams desperately searching for the breakthrough.
The decisive moment came in the 80th minute when Soko delivered a moment of magic, connecting with Mdedza’s free-kick to fire Bullets into the lead! The stadium erupted as the home fans celebrated what proved to be the winning goal.
Ntopwa protested as they confronted the match officials claiming the scorer was in an offside position, forcing the match to be stopped, before the referee blew the final whistle for Bullets to collect maximum points.
What it means
This hard-fought 1-0 victory for our U19s means the defending champions have booked a place into the quarter-finals of the competition.
Coach Fodya’s reaction
“This was a hard-fought win, and I’m incredibly proud of the boys. They showed great character and determination to grind out the result. Booking our place in the quarter-finals is a huge achievement, and we’ll continue to fight for every ball as we move forward.”
