FCB Nyasa Bullets yesterday survived a scare from PremierBet Dedza Dynamos as the TNM Super League defending champions came from behind to force a last-gasp one-all draw at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre,
Substitute Ibrahim Sadik’s 65th minute goal gave the visitors a lead only for another substitute Lameck Gamphani to rescue the People’s Team from the jaws of defeat.
A casual approach to the game cost Bullets maximum points as they wasted plenty of scoring opportunities, including a missed penalty.
Straight from the Blantyre derby victory over rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at the same venue on Saturday, Bullets perhaps felt Dedza were not a threat, forgetting that it is the same side that denied them full points when they also drew one-all in the season’s opener.
Bullets had a chance to take the lead in the 26th minute when referee Zebron Lengani awarded them a penalty, their first in the 2024 TNM Super League season, after Gift Magola handled the ball in the box.
Nigerian forward Babatunde Adepoju stepped up to take the penalty but Donnex Mwakasinga saved his spot kick.
Babatunde then pounced on the rebound only for the ball to ricochet off the cross bar.
Dedza got their goal through Sadik from a rebound after Bullets goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba saved Magola’s initial shot.
The goal jolted Bullets from slumber as the reality that points were slipping from their fingers crept in.
In the 86th minute, Babatunde tried to make amends for his sins with a thunderous shot in the penalty area, but Player of the Match Mwakasinga was equal to the job.
Mwakasinga also denied substitute Gastin Phodo and Chrispin Mapemba with acrobatic saves of their set pieces.
He was called to duty again to save substitute Ernest Petro’s header.
In the 86th minute, Dedza were reduced to men after Khumbo Banda was shown a second yellow card.
Mwakasinga succumbed to his former teammate Gamphani’s last-gasp strike in the 96th minute when Mapemba kept in a ball that many thought was out of play and crossed it into the box.
Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa bemoaned his charges’ waste of scoring opportunities.
He said: “We had our chances and we missed them. The opposition got one chance and they scored. Then we had to panic to get the equaliser.”
Dedza coach Andrew Bunya said the draw was as painful as a loss as it came a few seconds before the end of the match after his charges lost concentration.
Bullets are still third with 41 points while Dedza are 11th on the table led by Silver Strikers at 54 points and Wanderers on second with 47.
