Inspired by Bright Munthali’s hat-trick, Nyasa Big Bullets are through to Fisd Challenge Cup quarter-finals after coming from behind to defeat 10-man Karonga United, whose officials were roughed up at Chilomoni Stadium in Blantyre Wednesday.
Bullets date Blue Eagles in the quarter-finals.
Wednesday, the closeness of the stadium’s terraces to the substitutes’ bench and dressing rooms meant that Bullets’ mob had—in full view of outnumbered and helpless Football Association of Malawi officials and security personnel— all the licence to spray pepper and splash water on Karonga officials they suspected to be juju men.
In fact, the second-half kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes after the Northern Region Premier Division side refused briefly to come out of the dressing room in fear of the lives.
It seemed that only a loss could have guaranteed the safety of Karonga, whose two officials were, with heads down l ike chickens, dragged down through the covered stand and out of the stadium. It was so scary!
Their sin? One of the Karonga officials looked so suspicious, and the other one had changed his shirt before kick-off of the match, that the mob concluded that they were both juju men.
The Bullets fans were leaving no person unturned as they descended on reporters, accusing them of being agents of rival teams, before attacking a Joy Television crew.
Yet the start of the round-o f – 16 game was exciting. Karonga stunned the home crowd after scoring in devastating fashion through 17-year-old dribbling wizard, Anthony Mfune, in the ninth and 24th minutes. In both cases, he danced his way past clueless markers, before firing past out-of-sorts Bullets goalkeeper Ernest Kakhobwe.
But Munthali reduced the arrears with a low volley on the turn of the half-hour mark before tapping in the second goal four minutes later after getting to the end of a beautifully whipped cross from Muhammad Sulumba.
Karonga’s resistance was over a few minutes before the break when holding midfielder Lawrence Mjoji, who formed a formidable partnership with Malumbe Mwenelupembe, was red-carded for a second bookable offence.
After the break, Bullets’ numerical advantage and psychological welfare proved decisive as Munthali finished them off through a 56th minute free-kick before Chiukepo Msowoya set fellow substitute striker Jimmy Zakazaka up for the fourth goal.
In other round-of-16 games, Kamuzu Barracks defeated hosts Chikwawa United 4-0 whereas Masters Security and Eagles saw off Mafco and Mzuni 1-0 and 4-2 on post-match penalties, respectively. Other round-of-16 games will be played Thursday.
A vibrant writer who gives a great insight on hot topics and issues