By Erik Chiputula:
Substitute goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba was hero of the day after saving 2 penalties as Blantyre giants Nyasa Big Bullets edged past Moyale Barracks 4-2 in post match penalties after the 2 teams had settled for 4 goals apiece in regulation time in a round of 16 FDH Bank Cup tied played at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Inform Bullets forward Babatunde Adepoju who earlier converted from the spot during regulation time converted the last spot kick to send the People’s team into the quarter-finals in a thrilling encounter played in front of the jam packed Kamuzu stadium.
Bullets opened the scoring through entertaining youthful attacker Lanjesi Nkhoma who is slowly becoming a darling among the Bullets when he connected home Chimwemwe Idana’s fine cross from the right wing to make it 1-0 just after 10 minutes.
Patrick Mwaungulu increased Bullets’ lead nine minutes later with a strike from outside the box after good exchange of passes with Adepoju.
Sensing danger Moyale coach Coach Pritchard Mwansa made a double substitution bringing on goalkeeper Jeremiah Simfukwe and midfielder Chisomo Magombo on 28 minutes to help the Kaning’ina Soldiers fight back from 2 goals down and that substitution paid dividends as the Kaning’ina boys mounted a remarkable comeback in a space of two minutes courtesy of headers from Gastin Simkonda and Lloyd Njaliwa on 36 and 38 minutes respectively.
Five minutes later, Precious Sambani restored Bullets’ lead with a fabulous outside-the-foot laser of a strike from outside the box to give his team a 3-2 advantage at the break.
Lesman Singini cancelled out Bullets lead again seven minutes after the interval when he scored from the rebound after goalkeeper Rabson Chienda fumbled Raphael Phiri’s header.
The hosts were awarded penalty on 68 minutes after a handball incident in the opponents penalty box which Adepoju stepped up and sent Moyale Barracks goallie Simfukwe the wrong direction.
Moments later Bullets introduced the duo of Macfarlane Mgwira and Hassan Kajoke for Patrick Mwaungulu and Lanjesi Nkhoma to improve their attack but the pressure by the visiting team was too heavy to handle.
Njaliwa took the contest to penalties on 72nd minute when he was left unmarked on the far post and he sent a powerful header into the top far corner of the net giving Chienda no chance.
Nyasa Big Bullets started the shootout with a miss as 90th minute substitute Yamikani Fodya saw his penalty saved by Simfukwe.
But Moyale blew the advantage with two successive misses by Brown Magaga and Raphael Phiri as their penalties were saved by Chimbamba who came off the bench in the dying minutes.
Bullets scored their spot kicks through Hassan Kajoke, John Lanjesi, Chimwemwe Idana and Babatunde Adepoju where as Gastin Simkonda and Black Alisen scored for the Soldiers.
At Dedza Stadium, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers relied on goals from Yamikani Chester, Vincent Nyangulu and Alfred Manyozo to beat Dedza Dynamos 3-0 and send them parking.
Todays winners have joined six team that were already progressed into the quarter finals namely Extreme FC, Changalume Barracks, Nyasa Big Bullets Reserve, Blue Eagles, Kamuzu Barracks and Chitipa United.
