By Erik Chiputula:
Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will face off in the semi finals of the FDH Cup at the magnificent Bingu National Stadium on Saturday.
The People’s Team reached the semi finals after a 2-0 win over Chitipa United in the quarter finals while The Nomads booked their semi final spot with an emphatic 4-1 win against Kamuzu Barracks.
Mighty Wanderers will head into the fixture looking to earn a cup revenge having lost 4-1 in their last cup encounter last December in the Airtel Top 8 semis.
Former Nomads forward Babatunde Adepoju was hero of the banging all the 4 goals to punish his former employees while Vincent Nyangulu scored the lone consolidation goal for the Lali Lubani boys.
Since then, the two teams have gone ahead to meet twice in the League this year with Bullets winning 2-1 in the first round while the second round produced a 3-3 draw.
The Lali Lubani outfit has gone four seasons trophless and are looking to end that record by beating both Nyasa Big Bullets and proceed to the finals to beat their Reserve side who already booked a slot in the final with a 2-1 win over Extreme FC last weekend.
Ahead of Semi-Final clash The Atlas takes a look at some crucial elements for each team to come out victorious on Saturday.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers
CONTAIN THE MIDFIELD AND WINGS
Chimwemwe Idana, Enerst Petro and Frank Willard seem to have formed a deadly combination so far in midfield for the people’s team. To stop them from releasing the attacking trio of releasing Lanjesi Nkhoma, Babatunde Adepoju and Patrick Mwaungulu on dangerous attacks, Wanderers must contain the 3 and frustrate their passing game.
When Bullets midfield is not ticking, they use the wingback duo of Gomezgani Chirwa and Precious Sambani to cause havock in opponent defence. With pace Chirwa is able to beat opponents and deliver dengerous crosses while Sambani’s ability to dribble and overlap hands him opportunities to score goals so Wanderers must again take care of the wide players.
USE COUNTER AND AERIAL PROWESS
The fact that Bullets players dominates crucial midfield battles, swift counter attacks for the part of Nomads should be deployed whenever Bullets is lacking numbers in defense. Players like Stanley Sanudi, Yamikani Chester and Isaac Kaliati can provide abundance of speed and this is a necessary element for the success of counter-attacks.
Nomads coach Alex Ngwira could pin his hopes on aerial prowess from crosses. Nyasa Big Bullets central defence has been struggling to deal with aerial balls and again it has been working for Wanderers who have been utilizing the heights of strikers Muhammad Sulumba, Chiukepo Msowoya, Vincent Nyangulu and defender Miracle Gabeya.
Nyasa Big Bullets
KEEP POSSESSION AND BE CAREFULL ON SET PIECES
Nyasa Big Bullets should claim more possession in the attacking third to put Wanderers defence under siege which on several occasions has been seen making silly mistakes when under pressure.
The last time the two sides met, Bullets scored 3 goals through penetrating from the midfield direct to Wanderers’ central defence so if Bullets use the same tactict, chances of getting goals are high.
NEUTRALISE WANDERERS RIGHT FLANK
Bullets should make sure to put Stanley Sanudi who operates as Wanderers right back at bay. He is the number one serious threat in the team, with his pinpoint crosses he has managed to provide more assists for the the Mighty Wanderers family than any other Wanderers attacker this season.
Bullets should completely shut down the Wanderers right flank to limit Sanudi and company from scoring or providing assists.
