Big Bullets Humiliate Tigers to open a 7-points gap
“Mwangulu shines”
The Champions doing what Champions do, Nyasa Big Bullets on Saturday afternoon humiliated Mighty Waka Waka Tigers by 5 goals to nill at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The sensantional player from their reserve, Patrick Mwaungulu had a four-goals contribution in a game that the reining champions showed how good they are in TNM Super League.
Mwaungulu had a hat-trick of assists and a goal to his name as he assisted Sambani’s opener, Babatunde and Nkhoma’s goals. His goal was a lay off from Babatunde.
The Zimbabwean tactician, Kalisto Pasuwa maintained the team that humiliated Silver Strikers fortnight ago and by that he washed away fans’ hope of seeing their Ghanaian defender, Isaac Badu.
From the first whistle, Bullets looked a very hungry team that was hunting for an early opener as they were pressing and pressurizing their opponents making them doing a number of blunders in their own zone.
A frenetic opening minutes saw Bullets swarm forward but ultimately proved sloppy in possession in the final third.
Bullets were nocking at the door but they were answered after 16 minutes as Sambani scored with a Bullet header to steal a lead for the peoples team.
Mwaungulu was instrumental in opening the floodgates of goals when the former Bullets Reserves driver received a superb pass from maestro Chimwemwe idana on the edge of the opponets’ Penalty area and released a thunder shot that Tigers keeper Dalitso Khunga kept away for a corner.
The diminutive midfielder floated the corner kick into the area and defender Precious Sambani released a towering header beating Khungwa on the goal.
In the 21st minute, there was a goal claim from Mighty Tigers as Kesten Simbi, Bullets defender cleared the ball from the goal line.
Masia Manda played some tricks on the right flank before playing a cross into the box that Chimbamba failed to catch due to miscommunication with full-back, Gomezgan Chirwa but Simbi was quick to deny them an equaliser.
In the 31st minute, Bullets’ playmaker, Ernest Petro invited Dalitso Khungwa, Tigers goalkeeper to a save after unleashing a thunderous shot from the edge of the penalty area with his weak foot.
In the 35th minute, Mwaungulu was in the thick of things again when he received a pass from Chimwemwe Idana who disposed Tigers Captain Sammy Byon off the ball and later Chatama’s nicely teed up Babatunde adepoju with a lay off who chipped it calmly beating Khunga to make it 2-0.
In the 37th minute, Pasuwa was forced to make a change as goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba was replaced by Clever Mkungula after sustaining injury.
Trevor Kajawa, coach for Tigers made a permutation after 43th minute by taking off Mphatso Kasonga for Jaffali Maunde.
Just before the break, Mwaungulu registered his name on the score-sheet making it three up for the Champions.
Attacking mindlessly, Tigers lost the ball deep in Bullets zone and Bullets emerging defending midfielder, Blessings Mpokera stole possession and immediately fed the ball to Babatunde on the left frank.
With a Tigers defender approaching to mark him Babatunde left the ball to run past him and Mwaungulu raced brilliantly into the box and finished off the move with his weak foot.
It was three up for the Ndirande based boys at the break.
At half time, Kajawa made double change as Fatsani Chilikumtima and Rafiq Kuma were called in for Peter Barry and Bright Ntondagowa.
After the recess, Bullets continued to dominate as Tigers completely lost the midfield and allowed Idana and Ernest Petro to roam freely and feed Lanjesi Nkhoma and Babatunde who were not clinical enough in front of goal.
In the 55th minute Tigers had a golden chance to pull one back as Kesten Simbi made a horous error when he tried to play a back pass that landed in the feet of Kondwani Chilembwe who was very slow to capitalize it.
Tigers threw in Bullets’ former Midfielder, Dalitso Sailes for the blunt Chilembwe in the 65th minute.
The star of the day, unleashed another typical shot from the edge of the penalty area but Dalitso Khungwa made a world class save to deny the arguably best young player in the league from finding his second of the day and 6th of the season in the 68th minute.
In the 71st minute, defender Kesten Simbi had a bad tackle on the substitute Fatsani Chilikumtima and he was booked for that.
Realising that the game was already down, Kalisto Pasuwa-led panel opted to rest Sambani and Blessings Mpokera for Righteous Banda and Henry Kabitchi respectively in the 73rd minute.
Patrick Mwaungulu once again, had another assist after receiving a long pass from the goal minder, Clever Mkungula, his run from the opponent who marked him tightly was wonderful, a Maradona esque spin. He slotted a pass to Lanjesi Nkhoma who registered his first goal of the season to make it 4-0.
Again, Nkhoma completed his brace with a pass from Idana. It was his turn now when he had to dance with Tigers defenders on the left flank before sending a heavy shot that was saved by Khungwa but on rebound, was Nkhoma.
Stainly Billiati and McFarren Mgwira replaced Chimwemwe Idana and Babatunde.
The game ended 5-0 in favour of Bullets. A score-line for generations.
The changes that Trevor Kajawa made from 2-0 defeat to Sable proved a tinkering too far as the Kau Kau Boys lacked any sense of cohesion.
In the post match interviews, Bullets coach, Kalisto Pasuwa was happy with the results, particulary his side scoring goals in the second half.
“I would say it was a walk over, we have played very well though we struggled to break them in the first 10-15 minutes but we got a goal from a set piece then we opened them and got two goals.
“We got goals in the second half, something we have struggled in most games, we are improving on that.” Said the Zimbabwean tactician.
His counterpart, Coach for Tigers, Trevor Kajawa attributed the defeat to kindergarten mistakes by his charges.
“We have gifted them the goals through our mistakes and our friends were just good in the game. We can build up from the back to the midfielder but failing to score, we need to add some players as shortage of money in the pre-season made us just to sign these players.” Said Kajawa.
Babatunde has extended his tally to 8 this season while Mwaungulu has five goals and 7 assists this season.
With the win, Bullets have widened the gap over Blue Eagles to 7 as they have amassed 35 from 13 games and they are yet to taste the bitterness of a defeat. Their fellow contenders are on 28 points from 12 games.
Mighty Tigers are on 8th with 15 points from 14 games and they will face Silver in their last game of the first round.
In the past 15 years, Bullets have never beaten Tigers with such score-line. Meanwhile, Tigers last beat Bullets 10 years ago.
In their next assignment, Bullets will travel to Lilongwe to face Kamuzu Barracks before finishing the first round against Sable Farming at Kamuzu Stadium the following week.
Actions continue on Sunday with the second placed Blue Eagles and and third placed, Blue Eagles facing each other at the Kamuzu Stadium.
Ingwina ya Ku Karonga, Karonga United will travel to Rumphi to face the Leopards of Chikulamayembe, Rumphi United, TN Stars at home against Civil Service and Dedza Dynamos will face Mafco at Chitowe.
