Wanderers are “madolo a Mpira” after beating Bullets to win Airtel Top-8 Cup

By Antony Isaiah Jr:……

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have ended their four-year trophy drought as they on Saturday afternoon beat their cross-town rivals, Nyasa Big Bullets to win the Airtel Top-8 Cup on penalties after a barren draw in the regulation time.

Kesten saw his penalty skying into the air while Vincent Nyangulu took the responsibility to take the last penalty for Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.

In the regulation time, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers were a better team than Nyasa Big Bullets but utilising chances proved to be a tough thing to do.

On a day of raw emotion and a cacophony of noise in the packed Bingu National Stadium, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers ended the romantic notiona of the defending Champions, Nyasa Big Bullets as they have won the tournament for the first time since it was established in 2017.

As Nyasa Big Bullets players, staff and their inspirational coach Kalisto Pasuwa took a prolonged and thoroughly merited ovation in front of those adoring fans with their dreams broken, so they have finished the season with three trophies after winning the EcoBank Charity Shield Cup, TNM Super League and FDH Bank Cup.

Nyasa Big Bullets started the game slowly and the Nomads were on top of their notch but the people’s team were the first to greet Richard Chipuwa through Babatunde Adepoju.

The people’s needed to keep their nerve to become the first team to defend the lucrative Airtel Top-8 Cup but Mark Simon Harrison and his troops came with duster as they sent their neighbours home empty-handed.

Stanley Billiati in for Lanjesi Nkhoma was the only notable change that Kalisto Pasuwa made in the starting team but the youngster could not rise up the occasion and he was taken off at half-time together with Patrick Mwaungulu and injured Precious Sambani as MacFarren Mgwira, Hassan Kajoke and Yamikani Fodya replaced them.

Bullets faced a wall of sound from Wanderers’ support, with ear-splitting whistles every time they had possession – and while it was not a classic performance, the people’s team remained organised and until the last whistle though under pressure.

MightyMukuruWanderers, with the former Nyasa Big Bullets defender Miracle Gabeya outstanding, kept their composure in the hothouse atmosphere of Bingu National Stadium and had chances of their own, Chiukepo Msowoya failed to stood firm on to his feet as he went down in the penalty area asking for a penalty but the referee, Godfrey Khakananga turned a defeat ear.

Inspired by the magnificent EnerstPetro in the middle of the park, Nyasa Big Bullets redoubled their efforts and were so close to snatching the opener. Gomezgani Chirwa pushed himself into the offensive zone and delivering a lovely ball that found Hassa Kajoke at the far and the striker saw his effort being cleared just before crossing the line by Miracle Gabeya.

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have pocketed K17 Million for winning the trophy for the first time.

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

Mark Simon Harrison has won his second trophy of his career as a manager after winning the 2015-16 Botswana Premier league with Township Rollers but his second one comes colourfully as he becomes the oy manager to bring the new lease of life at the Lali Luban based team- a Club that has been passengers for the last four years, playing without a silverware.

Roped in as a Technical director but he later replaced Alex Ngwira after some internal wrangles that sprouted in the team and he lasted just weeks before stamping his name in the history of Malawian football.

With his back-three formation, many doubted about the win for Wanderers as they were facing a free-scoring Nyasa Big Bullets who had pillaged 11 goals in three games.

Mark comes on top with his tactics as he managed to silence the red and white stand and at the same time becoming the third manager to hold Bullets to a goalless stalemate in regulation time after Karonga United’s Christopher Nyambose and Mafco’s Stereo Gondwe.

With Gabeya commanding the backline, Isaac Kaliati and Wisdom Mpinganjira were deployed as wing-backs- who with their pace managed to stop Nyasa Big Bullets’ attacking threat that usually comes from Gomezgani Chirwa and Precious Sambani.

Gomezgani Chirwa who has been the weapon for the people’s team was restricted to only less than five overlapping moves as Wanderers were pressing hard on Bullets.

With their pressing, Wanderers won the ball higher up the field and Mpinganjira swung a brilliant cross that found Francis Mkonda who planted a powerful header but Richard Chimbamba who failed to save a single penalty miraculously palmed away the header in the first half.

The tough mentality that Harrison brought in the team seen as Mighty Mukuru Wanderers players were rarely allowing Bullets clever players passing by them. Alfred Manyozo Jnr and Isaac Kaliati went into the books of referee with the former protesting a decision by the boss of the game while the latter denied Chimwemwe Idana from invading them.

In his search for goals as the President of the team had said that a win would see him continuing pumping money into the team, failing which withdrawing sponsorship was on the card, Vincent Nyangulu came in for Chiukepo Msowoya with less than 15 minutes before the last whistle- him together with Chester who replaced Misheck Botomani were vomiting their angers and Bullets had to survive the pressure from Wanderers in the last 15 minutes.

𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬

Nyasa Big Bullets have lit up this season with unexpected performance after releasing some of their senior players earlier this season with the squad dominated by youngsters which were promoted from the Reserve side.

Winning the EcoBank Charity Shield Cup, TNM Super League and FDH Bank Cup and their hope of sweeping every trophy on the land was shuttered and crushed by their neighbours as Kesten Simbi’s penalty cost the team.

Fans had throng in the Bingu National Stadium to witness their team lifting their fourth trophy of the season and the sheer volume of noise created by the Zomba-based supporters following was cranked up before kick-off, when those familiar piercing whistles echoed around the stadium as the people’s players stormed out for warm ups.

They were silenced in the second half as Wanderers were Pilling pressure a minute after a minute but in the early stages of the game , the fans roused themselves and singing “maule! Maule!”

They had claimed thick victories over Silver Strikers twice, Wanderers twice and they were storming out of the Bingu National Stadium with their faces down, a heavy blow from their neighbours.