Blantyre-based giants FCB Nyasa Bullets are back at the top of the TNM Super League summit after emphatically defeating Mzuzu-based Moyale Barracks 3-0 yesterday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Red-hot winger Chikumbutso Salima, attacker Sean McBrams and midfielder Chawanangwa Gumbo’s goals fired the People’s Team to the summit of the table.
Nigerian Babatunde Adepoju put up a Player-of-the-Match performance, selflessly setting up Salima and McBrams for the first two goals in the first-half before Gumbo netted the third.
The lanky forward, who is associated with his magical finishing prowess, yesterday showed his other side as he turned provider.
In the 11th minute, Babatunde covered acres on the right flank before laying the ball to Salima, who easily tapped in past Moyale goalkeeper Jeremiah Simfukwe.
Then in the 37th minute, Adepoju won a ball in Bullets’ half, turned out two defenders in the box, before cutting it back to McBrams who fired home at close range.
The first-half was done and dusted with Bullets comfortably leading 2-0.
Though Moyale showed some signs of will to bounce back, they lacked the hunger which Bullets had.
Apart from defender Maneno Nyoni, who at times overlapped to jerk Bullets defence, it was only Robert Mphenzi who called goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba to duty to make a save from his shot 30 metres out in the 74th minute.
Moments later, substitute Gumbo made it 3-0 in the 77th minute with a long-range short outside the box from Yamikani Mologoni pass, beating Simfukwe, who tried to keep it out only to guide the ball into the net.
The Mzuzu-based soldiers failed to return fire as they suffered another loss after going down to Mzuzu City Hammers 2-0 in their previous match.
Moyale coach Pritchard Mwansa, in a post-match interview, admitted that his charges were out of sorts.
He said: “When you make a lot of mistakes, you get punished as we did. We had a lot of problems in many areas. We need to improve our game in many areas.
“You can see we played [well], especially in the first half, playing good football, but we didn’t even shoot… Very painful.
“We need to improve some areas, like in defending.”
For Bullets coach Peter Mponda, it was yet another mission accomplished as his side has dislodged rivals Mighty Wanderers from the top.
The People’s Team now has 24 points from nine games, two above the Nomads, who have played a game less.
However, Mponda displayed humility, saying they aim at taking each game as it comes.
He said: “It was a game in phases. There were some moments when we were looking good, but in some moments we were switching off. The moment we switched off, we were making unnecessary errors, but credit should go to the guys.
“Defensively, we are not very good. We haven’t reached the level we want, but credit should go to the players.”
In other matches, champions Silver Strikers moved up three places to fifth after beating Karonga United 3-1 at Karonga Stadium.
The Bankers now have 15 points from eight matches.
Chinsisi Maonga, Festus Duwe and Chimwemwe Idana were on target for the Bankers while Patrick Phri netted the consolation goal for Ingwina ya Karonga.
Rookies and table anchors Songwe Border United’s misery continued after suffering a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Chitipa United while Civil Service United beat Creck Sporting Club 2-0.
