Big Bullets get Cecafa Cup prize money
Nyasa Big Bullets are smiling all the way to the bank after finally getting their Cecafa Kagame Cup prize money for finishing as runners-up.
Bullets Chief Executive Officer Suzgo Nyirenda said they pocketed the money last week.
“We got the money last week and we are grateful to Cecafa. We have a good relationship with them and we are keeping our fingers crossed that, next year, they will invite us again,” Nyirenda said.
For finishing as runners-up, Bullets received $20,000 (about K16.4 million) whereas Uganda’s Express got $30,000 (about K24 million) as champions.
Bullets took part in the competition as a guest team and cruised all the way to the final where they lost 1-0 to Express in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, last month.
However, Cecafa did not issue the payment until Friday last week.
Cecafa provided accommodation and transport to Bullets, who only had to pay for their return air tickets from Tanzania.
Sports analyst George Kaudza-Masina said Bullets benefitted a lot from the regional competition.
“It was a wise decision for them to participate in the Cecafa tournament,” Kaudza-Masina said.
Defender Yamikani Fodya was named Player-of-the-Series whereas captain Chimwemwe Idana won the Fair Play Award.
During the tournament, Bullets drew 1-1 with Tanzania giants Young African Sports Club (Yanga) before registering a similar result against Express.
They went on to beat Atlabara of South Sudan 2-0 to qualify for the semifinals.
Bullets qualified for the final after a 4-2 post-match penalty win over Azam FC following a 2-2 draw in regulation time.
The People’s Team used the tournament to prepare for the Caf Champions League.
They, however, had no luck in the elite continental club competition where they got eliminated after losing 3-2 on aggregate to AmaZulu of South Africa.
Bullets won 1-0 away in Durban courtesy of Chiukepo Msowoya but AmaZulu turned the tables with a 3-1 win at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe early this month.
