Bullets cautioned against complacency
Some football pundits have warned FCB Nyasa Bullets to guard against complacency following their vital CAF Champions League preliminary round 0-2 first leg away win over Equatorial Guinea’s Dragon FC.
The People’s Team host Les Dragons at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this Sunday with a spring in their step courtesy of Gastin Phodo’s brace in Malabo.
However, Bullets legend Kinnah Phiri, who guided the team to the group stages of the continental elite club tournament in 2004, said the TNM Super League champions are not in the comfort zone yet.
He cited as an example the 2021 edition when Bullets beat AmaZulu 1-0 in South Africa, but were booted out after losing 1-3 in the return leg.
Said the former Bullets and Flames coach: “First, let me congratulate them for showing characteristic grit to defy the odds and win by a two-goal margin which is not easy at all.
“But having said that, let me warn the players not to get carried away by the result because football can give you surprises you least expected. So, I urge the technical panel to drum into the players that the battle is not over yet.”
The all-time Flames leading scorer said Bullets need to approach Sunday’s game as if they are trailing.
“It is important that they should approach the game with more hunger,” he said.
On his part, football pundit Parry Chinyama said while the two-goal cushion was vital for Bullets, the win should not get into their heads.
He said: “They have performed beyond expectations, considering how they performed locally before this assignment, provided they should not become big-headed because it can be dangerous.
“If they can maintain the momentum, they will seal the victory here and with home support, they have the potential to win with even a bigger margin.”
But in a post-match interview, Bullets head coach Kallisto Pasuwa said it is important that the players should not throw caution to the wind.
“It’s not a game that we can say we should relax to say we are through to the next round. We need do more to sail through to the next round,” he was quoted as having said by nyasabigbullets.com.
