Struggling FCB Nyasa Bullets hope to turn a new chapter this afternoon as they start their FDH Bank Cup defence against Bangwe All Stars in round of 32 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
After searching in vain for a win in the TNM Super League the entire month of June, The People’s Team have to come to the party in this encounter since a draw is not an option.
Ironically, the match will also mark Bullets’ return to Kamuzu Stadium, a month after they lost to Silver Strikers 0-1 in the league.
Coach Kallisto Pasuwa in a pre-match interview said they had worked on the confidence of the players which was behind the team’s failure to score.
The Zimbabwean tactician said: “We have been creating chances, but we are failing to put the ball into the net. That has been our homework. We have been working much in front of goal the whole week in order to give the boys confidence to say we can score.
“In all the areas we are playing well. But it’s the end product, which is putting the ball into the net that is lacking. We are still too shy to have goals.”
Bangwe, who are 14th on the league log table, have also been having their share of hiccups in the league, having won just one game out of 11.
But Pasuwa said they are not reading much into that.
He said: “As Bullets, we take each and every game as it comes. Bangwe is one of the games we are supposed to fulfil. We don’t differentiate that this is Bangwe or one of the giants. Each and every team we play is coming full throttle on us.
“It’s up to us to be very positive. Like I said, we needed to do our homework of putting the ball beyond the net. We hope we go there with an improvement in our game.”
On his part, Bangwe coach Rogers Yasin said his charges are looking forward to the match.
He said: “I hope it will be a nice game bearing in mind that they are the defending champions. But in a cup game there are no champions.
“Of course Bullets is not a small team. I know it won’t be easy. But in cup games anything can happen.”
In another round of 32 match, highflying Silver Striker travelled to Nankhaka to face recently relegated Blue Eagles.
But the Bankers coach Peter Mponda said underrating the Chipiku Stores League side would be catastrophic.
He said: “It’s a tricky game. Blue Eagles are a very good team. Unfortunately they are playing in Chipiku. But they still have the squad they had in the TNM Super League. They have dangerous players. So, it’s a tricky game.
“The way they are playing in Chipiku, they are beating everyone, they are scoring goals. We really need to guide against complacency.
“If we say we are playing a Chipiku side, they can punish us. Like I said, they are playing in Chipiku, but they are not a Chipiku team.”
In other round of 32 fixtures this afternoon, Moyale Barracks will host Chintheche United at Mzuzu Stadium while Karonga United will take on Mzuzu City Hammers at Karonga Stadium.
