Bullets Thump Karonga United 7-0 to Begin Airtel Top 8 in style
By Antony Isaiah Jr:…….
Rampant Nyasa Big Bullets have started their Airtel Top 8 Cup defense in style and they are one leg in the semifinals after ruthlessly thumping Karonga United 7 – 0 at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Two bullets from Nkhoma, one each from Thomson Magombo, Babatunde Adepoju, Stanley Billiati, Henry Kabitchi and Precious Phiri were enough to inflict pain and kill in the Crocodiles.
ππππ ππππππππ? Smarting from a 1-0 defeat to Mafco Football Club, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men looked for a recuperation from in style as they displayed a blistering performance to tear apart Karonga United.
Coach for Karonga United, Christopher Nyambose opted for a back-five system but it reduced their numbers in the midfield paving way for Nyasa Big Bullets to have a walker-over in the heart of the pitch.
The vulnerability at the back gave Nyasa Big Bullets who were coming wave after wave from the flanks various gaps to repent their sin of the previous week.
Lanjesi Nkhoma nearly grabbed an early lead as his clever curler clattered the left-hand post for Lloyd Munthali before connecting home Gomezgani Chirwa’s brilliant delivery from the right flank.
Gomezgani Chirwa and Precious Sambani unlike in their previous game, they were pushing themselves in offensive zone, giving Chimwemwe Idana, Thompson Magombo and Frank Willard a support in the midfield.
Mwaungulu and Gomezgani Chirwa combined on the right flank before the full-back swinged in a cross that Lanjesi Nkhoma failed to stab home as the ball passed across the goal-mouth.
Again, Chirwa who was delivering deadly balls floated the ball into the box that found Anthony Mfune but the striker slotted the ball wide, but they couldn’t not continue on missing the chances as Mfune gave Bullets the lead after 14 minutes.
Patrick Mwaungulu spotted Thompson Magombo who had stretched himself to the right flank and the 19-year-old teeid up Mfune who put himself on the green turf to put the ball into the net.
After missing two changes in the first 10 minutes, Lanjesi Nkhoma found himself on the scoresheet as he placed the ball beyond Munthali after receiving a beautiful ball from Gomezgani Chirwa before adding his tally before the break.
Mfune was replaced by Babatunde Adepoju after sustaining an injury in the 35th minute.
Karonga United made three changes just after the recess as Ramadan Ntafu, Gift Mwazembe and Allen Chihana replaced Lloyd Munthali, Hygiene Mwendepeka and Geoffrey Kadzitche.
Babatunde added the fourth for Bullets after being teed up by Frank Willard in the 52nd minute before Patrick Mwaungulu failed to add the fifth after being played through by Babatunde.
Karonga United missed two back-to-back chances after Sherif Shamama rifled the ball over the bar from the free-kick before Clever Mkungula’s flew into the air to deny Mphatso Kamanga from hitting the roof of the net with a long-range.
With the game at four-up, Kalisto Pasuwa threw in three more troops, Henry Kabichi, Stanley Billiat and Ernest Petro for Lanjesi Nkhoma, Thomson Magombo and Chimwemwe Idana.
Babatunde Adepoju nearly grabbed his second when he saw his header from close-range being palmed away by goalkeeper
Substitutes, Stanley Billiati, Henry Magetsi Kabitchi and Precious Phiri who replaced Gomezgani Chirwa added three for the people’s team. Babatunde Adepoju burst forward from the midfield teeing up Billiati who was unmarked in the box and the striker nodded it home before the veteran, Kabitchi with his right foot curled the ball to pillage the sixth goal.
Precious Sambani was released on the left and he was closed down by Henry Chiwaya for a corner. Patrick Mwaungulu swung the ball into the box and Phiri just headed it home to seal the victory for the defending Champions.
ππππ ππππ ππ ππππ?With seven goals already in their bag, Nyasa Big Bullets will go into the second leg while in a comfortable zone after such a huge win at home.
Karonga United will need to score at least eight goals and avoid conceding any goal if they are to go through the next phase of the competition.
If Bullets manage to go through, they will face the winners between Kamuzu Barracks and Silver Strikers who are facing in another much-anticipated quarterfinal game of the tournament.
This is the first Karonga United heavy defeat since their promotion in the league in 2016. Their huge defeat against Nyasa Big Bulets was a 5-0 in a league game.
WHAT NEXT? Both teams will now turn their attention to Super League actions as Nyasa Big Bullets face Mighty Tigers while Karonga United will face Mafco FC, both games on Wednesday.
