Karonga warn Bullets

Battered and bruised Karonga United have warned Nyasa Big Bullets to a fierce resistance as they clash in Airtel Top 8 quarter-finals second leg this afternoon at Karonga Stadium.

There is no love lost between the two sides who will be meeting for the third time in three weeks.

Bullets whitewashed Karonga United 7-0 in the first leg and went on to humiliate them with a 3-1 defeat in TNM Super League a week later.

In this afternoon’s encounter, Karonga need to at least overcome Bullets 8-0 to make it to the Airtel Top 8 semi-finals.

If this was to happen, it would be the biggest upset in the history of the TNM Super League champions.

But Karonga United coach Christopher Nyambose wore a brave face and said they are willing to die to provide the upset of the century.

He said: “It’s possible, we can turn the tables. They beat us 7-0 at their backyard, why can’t we beat them as well at our own?

“Anything can happen in a game of football. We can score even more than seven goals here.”

Nyambose attributed the team’s poor showing at Kamuzu Stadium to the artificial turf.

He said: “They are used to playing on that turf and we are used to playing on a natural turf.

“They struggle when they play here. They know themselves that every time they are coming here it is tough.”

The last time the two sides faced off at Karonga Stadium in TNM Super League first round, it ended goalless.

Nyambose said: “If they will go to the semi-finals, they will sweat for it. They will never forget this game.”

Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa also showed some respect for his counterpart Nyambose, saying they will take the game seriously.

He said: “We are not taking this game lightly. It’s a game like the first leg we played. Yes, we have a seven goal lead, but this is football. If we can score seven goals, it also can happen in Karonga.

“We are quite aware of that and we will take the game seriously. Karonga are not a bad side. You even saw how they played the second time we met them in TNM Super League.

“Very organised. It’s only that may be they made mistakes and conceded those goals. But again we are playing in front of their home ground. It will indeed not be easy.”

While Bullets are in Karonga, sitting on a seven-goal advantage, Mighty Wanderers have a two goal advantage as they face Mafco tomorrow at Chitowe in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota.

The Nomads beat Mafco 2-0 in the first leg at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.