Bullets strike Airtel Top 8 gold

Nyasa Big Bullets ended their Airtel Top 8 jinx when they beat Silver Strikers 5-3 on post-match penalties at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Saturday.

The match lived up to the tempo of a final as both teams put up a spirited performance in an epic match which ended one-all in regulation time.

Heroes of the match was goalkeeper Ernest Kakhobwe who saved Levison Maganizo fourth penalty and Nixon Nyasulu who scored the decisive penalty.

This followed, Yamikani Fodya, Zicco Mkanda, Chimwemwe Idana, Gomegzani Chirwa scored which also left Nyasulu with the pressure to win it for his club. He did it in style to send the Red Army into wild celebrations as Bullets claimed a double of the season after winning their unprecedented third consecutive TNM Super League title.

Silver scored their penalty kicks through Frank Banda, Stan Davie scored and Innocent Nhlane.

It was pre-match favourite Big Bullets who made their intent to win with a menacing attacks in the first five minutes.

They controlled the game until Silver hit them hard in the 9th minute when Stain Dave scored against the run of play.

However, Bullets equalised through Lanjesi Nkhoma in the 16th minute to set the contest wide open.

Bullets were motivated by the goal to pile pressure on their opponents. They should blame themselves for letting the game to be decided on lottery penalty shoot-out as they messed up good scoring opportunities.

However, with both sides missing chances to win, the match was forced into penalty shoot-out.

In a post-match interview, Bullets’ Zimbabwean coach Kallisto Pasuwa said it was a balanced match.

He said: It was a good and tough game. We saw them taking the game to us and we could take the game to them. It was too tactical. In a cup match you need to take any chance that come your way. I am happy for Bullets [board] as they have been doing a lot to try to make this club a good club.”

Pasuwa’s assistant Peter Mponda also applauded the team for their resilience.

He said: “It was a tough game and we should applaud the players for showing character and determination. We were in control for the first 10 minutes.

“However, they caught us off guard with a goal at the time we were in control. We applaud the boys that we have been improving the past two, three years.”

Silver Strikers assistant coach McDonald Yobe, who is a former Bullets and Mighty Wanderers and the Flames winger, attributed the loss to complacency after taking the lead.

“Congratulations to the boys for reaching the final. We were a bit relaxed and we never pressed them hard. It’s a good start for us. We will see what happens next season,” he said.

Bullets’ Lanjesi Nkhoma added the icing on the cake when he won the man of the match.

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