Big Bullets turn heat on Nomads
Nyasa Big Bullets, in front of a decent crowd that included hardly visible Be Forward Wanderers players and officials, beat toothless Azam Tigers 2-0 at Chilomoni Stadium in Blantyre Thursday to trim the TNM Super League leaders’ cushion to just a point.
Of course, Wanderers, who were represented at the stadium by the likes of Team Manager, Steve Madeira, players—Francis Mlimbika, Harry Nyirenda, Bongani Kayipa and Esau Kanyenda— can restore their cushion to four points this weekend.
But to achieve that, the Nomads—who have 58 points from 25 games compared to 57 points from 26 games for the second-placed Bullets—need to defeat Civil Sporting Club at Balaka Stadium on Sunday. Civil have been the Nomads’ boggy team and stunned them 2-0 in the first-round.
On the same day, Bullets host Silver Strikers at Kalulu Stadium, and in that game too, anything can happen but there is no doubt that yesterday’s result, achieved courtesy of Nelson Kangunje and Mike Mkwate’s goals, turned the heat on the Nomads.
Kangunje shrugged off his marker and jumped to glance into the net from Fischer Kondowe’s 21st minute corner-kick, before Mkwate, who was kept quiet by Tigers’ giant defender Martin Chongwe, breached an off-side trap to score the second goal in the 62nd minute.
Bullets were without injured leading scorer, Chiukepo Msowoya, but they struggled largely due to the pressing and running of Tigers who put numbers behind the ball, but they were let down by their toothless attack of Innocent Msowoya, Shasimbe Kanyika and Benard Palanda in a 4-3-3 system.
Midfielder Precious Phiri, defender Nixon Mwase and striker Msowoya had half chances to score for Tigers, but overall, their front-line failed to punish Bullets who struggled to string passes and dominate proceedings even when they switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2 formation. Tigers have 30 points from 20 games.
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