Nyasa Big Bullets cruise to Cecafa final
Nyasa Big Bullets defied the odds to beat Tanzania’s Azam FC at their own backyard to qualify for the Cecafa Kagame Cup final through a 4-2 post-match penalty win last night.
The match was initially scheduled for Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam but organisers moved it to Azam Complex Stadium under unclear circumstances, a move that irked Bullets Assistant Coach Peter Mponda, who is in charge.
The two teams played out to a 2-2 draw after extra time and the tie had to be decided on post-match penalties.
Defender Nixon Nyasulu turned from villain to hero when he scored the decisive penalty after an Azam player had blasted his kick over the bar.
Bullets scored their spot kicks through Yamikani Fodya, Hassan Kajoke, Chimango Kaira and Nyasulu but Miracle Gabeya had his saved by Azam goalkeeper and captain Haule.
Azam’s Tapsy Evancy and Abdul Razak missed their spot kicks whereas Lusajo Mwaikenda was one of the scorers for the hosts.
In regulation time, Bullets took the lead through Bright Munthali early in the game but Nyasulu scored into his own net to level the scores for Azam.
The Tanzanians went on to score the second goal through Oscar Masai in the 70th minute but Munthali rose to the occasion again to force the match into extra time, which also failed to produce a winner.
Bullets will now face Uganda’s Express FC in the final.
Express defeated KMKM of Zanzibar 2-1 in another semifinal at the same venue on Monday.
Bullets and Express were in the same group and their match ended 1-1.
