By McLloyd Kudzingo
Patrick Mwaungulu’s outrageous goal and another one from Chawanangwa Gumbo was all what FCB Nyasa Big Bullets needed to get maximum points against Mzuzu City Hammers and move from position 6 to position 2 on the TNM Super League’s log table.
In a match played on Saturday afternoon at Kamuzu Stadium, both sides looked determined to get maximum points as they played a beautiful passing game and creating a good number of scoring opportunities.
The first chance of the afternoon fell to the hosts in the seventh minute, though Chawanangwa Gumbo who made no mistake but to score against his former team after receiving a pass from Babatunde Adepoju.
Wongani Lungu almost leveled the scores for the visitors from a free-kick in the 20th minute but his shot went over the cross bar.
Three minutes later, Chimwemwe Chunga had another chance to score but Bullets goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba rescued the People’s team with a beautiful save.
Patrick Mwaungulu had a chance to double Bullets’ lead in the 25th minute after receiving a pass from Gomezgani Chirwa but his shot went over the cross bar.
There was a penalty appeal in the 42nd minute when Bullets defender Blessings Mpokera handled the ball in the penalty box but referee Mwai Msungama said their was no handball.
This did not go well with Hammers’ players and officials ending in a red card shown to the team’s Goalkeeper’s trainer.
Three minutes in the second half, Babatunde Adepoju missed a golden opportunity to double the lead for Bullets as he failed to find the back of the net in a one-on-one situation with Hammers’ goalkeeper Eddie Jamu.
Mwaungulu almost added the second for the home side in the 54th minute but his free-kick missed the upright with just an inch.
Two minutes later the youthful midfielder had another chance to increase his team’s lead but Jamu did an excellent work by saving the ball for a corner kick.
Then, a moment of brilliance came in the 64th minute when Mwaungulu, who was also voted man of the match scored direct from a corner kick to seal the victory for the defending champions who did not have a good start this season.
Following the win, Bullets have dislodged Hammers on second position with the same number of points,13, but the People’s team have a better goal difference.
Meanwhile Super League of Malawi (Sulom) have announced that that the match between the two sides grossed over K11 million with the two teams going home with about K1.9 million each.
Elsewhere, the match between league debutants Creck Sporting SC and FOMO FC at Civo Stadium ended 1-nil in favour of Creck.
Stain Patrick scored the only goal of the match in the 38th minute to help his side move to eighth position on the log table with 10 points from seven games.
FOMO are perched on position 12 with seven points after playing the same number of games as Creck Sporting.
In Mchinji it ended goalless between Malawi Defence Force sides Kamuzu Barracks (KB) and Moyale Barracks.
KB are on position 5 on the log table with 12 points while Moyale are on position 7 with 11 points after playing seven games.
On Sunday league leaders Silver Strikers will be at home hosting Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who are on position 4 on the log table.
Bangwe All Stars will take on Mafco FC at Mpira Stadium as Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos hosts Chitipa United at Dedza Stadium.
In another TNM Super League fixture on Sunday, ninth placed Karonga United will play eleventh placed Civil Service United at Karonga Stadium.
