Bullets out of CAF tourney, miss K788m cheque

The Lubumbashi massacre was about University students that were killed on the night of May 11 1990 by Zaire government, now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following protests.

But yesterday, there was another massacre in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) mining city when TP Mazembe showed no mercy in the demolition of Malawi’s flag carriers in the CAF Champions League, FCB Nyasa Bullets, with a 4-0 thumping which sent them packing from the club continental showpiece on a 5-0 aggregate.

The People’s Team, who lost the first leg 0-1 to the five-time African champions, were just a step away from qualifying for the group stages which goes with a $700 000 (about K788 million) prize, but it wasn’t to be.

The hosts got it over and done with by half time as they led 4-0 and Bullets were dead and buried.

In a match monitored on TP Mazembe TV, the TNM Super League champions never looked remotely capable of standing the might of their opponents and by half time, it was all over.

The hosts took the lead barely four minutes into the match, even before the fans got the real feel of the action.

Captain Kevin Mondeko Zanku swung upfield to head home a well taken corner kick by Talla to send the home fans into frenzy.

Eight minutes later, midfielder Glody Likonza made it 2-0.

Cheick Oumar Abdallah Fofana, who scored the lone goal in the first leg, made it 3-0 in the 20th minute and it was all over for the People’s Team.

As time ticked on before the interval, Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa rung three changes, pulling out Peter Banda, McFarlane Mgwira and Collins Okumu for Chawanangwa Gumbo, Charles Petro and Hassan Kajoke.

There was renewed purpose in Bullets’ play after the changes, but sadly, not enough to stop the hosts, who scored the fourth through Merceil Ngimbi in the 40th minute and job done for the Congolese and plenty of food for thought for Bullets, whose fifth attempt for the continental crown took them to the second preliminary round, but not anywhere above that.

Bullets looked more organised in the second half in which they didn’t concede, but the hosts were already in the comfort zone.