An early lone goal from Blessings Lungu was enough for FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Under 19s to collect all three points against Jimmy Zakazaka Academy at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday morning.
What happened
The young Bullets went into this match looking to bounce back from their 2-2 draw against Yizo-Yizo.
Yamikani Fodya’s boys started the match intently, and Lungu’s strike in the opening minute made the difference. With a clinical finish, he put Bullets in the lead after Kelvin Chimodzi set him up.
Our youngsters continued to control the tempo of the match and set the tone for their attacking prowess.
Dominic Kayamba could have doubled the lead in the 4th minute but he was unlucky to see his effort going off target.
Despite being caught offside multiple times, their relentless pressure kept the hosts on their toes.
Mphatso Julius’ strike, disallowed in the 13th minute for offside from Lungu’s corner kick, highlighted the visitors’ attacking flair.
The hosts made an early substitution in the 14th minute when Ratif Diliano replaced Alex Somanje, aiming to shift momentum, but Bullets Youth remained unfazed.
Chimodzi’s 21st-minute attempt hit the side netting. Corner kicks in the 24th and 30th minutes, taken by Lungu and Kampira, respectively, showcased our youngsters’ set-piece threat.
The home side won a corner in the 31st minute, and Stain Kwanda stepped up to take it only to see his setpiece cleared away by Brian Mwase, who launched a move to find Martin Adam, whose shot sailed wide.
The first half ended with our lads leading 1-0.
Returning for the final half, both teams came with renewed attacking intent. In the 56th minute, Fodya injected fresh energy when he made a triple substitution, introducing Henry Manganyera, Jimmy Zakazaka Junior and Jabulani Chavula.
Manganyera spent less than ten minutes on the pitch after suffering an injury. Gomezgani Maziya replaced him in the 63rd minute.
Zazazaka’s first effort after coming on tested the goalkeeper in the 65th minute before he was caught offside seven minutes later.
The hosts made their last change in the 76th minute as Charles Kambanga replaced Young Chinseli. However, the substitution failed to yield an equalizer.
Chavula’s golden opportunity in the 80th minute, set up by Lungu, could have sealed our youngsters a 2-goal win, but ultimately, the scoreline remained 1- 0.
What it means
The victory means our Under 19s registered their first win in the second round of the 2024 FCB Katswiri Under 20 League after sharing the spoils against Yizo-Yizo Warriors following a 2-2 stalemate last weekend.
Fodya’s post-match reaction
“I’m proud of how we managed the game. We controlled possession, created chances, and defended solidly. Our substitutes added fresh energy, which helped us see out the win and kept us on track. We’re taking it one game at a time, but today’s result shows we’re on the right path.”
What next
Bullets Youth will return to action Tuesday afternoon against CC Stars at Chilomoni Stadium.
