FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have all the reasons to walk one shoulder high in corridors of domestic football as they are the only team to have won trebles in a single season since 1986.
The People’s Team wrote their own piece of history when they lifted the inaugural Castel Ibongetse Challenge Cup following the 4-2 victory over Silver Strikers on post-match penalties at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday.
They have already bagged the TNM Super League title for the fifth straight year and also the FDH Bank Cup for two consecutive years.
Since 1986, Bullets have had trebles in 1986, 1999, 2002 and 2014. Their Castel Challenge Cup triumph means Bullets have won 29 knock-out cups and 17 Super League titles in the past 37 years.
On the part of Silver, they have 18 cups and eight league titles whereas Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have 14 cups and six league titles.
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However, it was the first treble for Bullets Coach Kalisto Pasuwa in domestic football, having joined Bullets in 2018.
After completing the treble on Saturday, Pasuwa said the secret behind the team’s success is players’ management.
“It all starts from pre-season as we prepare everyone ready to play. Most of the people were not giving us a chance but we kept on rotating the players and some even say we do not have the first 11,” the Zimbabwean said.
Pasuwa is a serial winner, having won several trophies and titles while at Dynamos in his native Zimbabwe.
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Bullets won the 2023 NBS Bank Charity Shield after beating Wanderers 2-1 at the start of the season.
They have a chance for an unprecedented quadruple as they date Mafco in the Airtel Top 8 final this weekend.
Kenyan defender Clyde Senaji said, despite winning the treble, it was a tough season.
“This is my fourth medal in Malawi. It was not easy but the players showed great character,” Senaji, who was named player-of-the-match against Silver, said.
Sports analyst Sherry Msuku said Bullets’ dominance is as a result of sound administration and Caf Champions League participation.
“Teams give Bullets too much respect. Besides that, Bullets players have a winning mentality. They have a good youth team, which has been dominating local football,’’ Msuku said.
Meanwhile, Bullets have pocketed K120 million for winning the treble. Bullets got K40 million for retaining the TNM Super League title, K30 million for FDH Bank Cup and K50 million for Castel Challenge Cup titles.
While Bullets have smiled all the way to banks, rivals Wanderers and Silver have finished the season empty-handed.
In recent times, Wanderers won the Airtel Top 8 in 2022 whereas Silver last won a trophy in 2021, when they clinched the FDH Bank Cup.
