A brace from Lanjesi Nkhoma and one more from Ephraim Kondowe were enough to see off MAFCO FC in FDH Bank Cup final on Sunday at Bingu National Stadium.
Nkhoma was on target just after six minutes after finishing off a Stanley Billiati’s pass before extending Bullets lead six minutes later. Kondowe sealed the victory after tapping in Patrick Mwaungulu’s pass to make it 3-0.
It makes them the first back-to-back winners in the FDH Bank Cup history which started in 2021.
Both sides went out there to win, though the People’s Team were just that little bit sharper in every aspect. It was a really pleasing performance for Bullets on the whole.
Anyway, let’s get right into the five biggest things that we have learned from this encounter.
ATTACKING ROTATIONS
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets had reduced presence between the lines when the defensive midfielder Frank Willard held his position to maintain defensive security.
With MAFCO FC prioritizing Lanjesi Nkhoma and Ephraim Kondowe, Stanley Billiati enjoyed more freedom coming in from the right, while Mwaungulu also moved in from the midfield to attack the spaces between full-back and central defenders.
This allowed one Centre back Clyde Senaji to adopt a position wide on the right, pushing Gomezgani Chirwa ahead – the right back was more reserved as an attacking threat.
OLD GUNS FAILED MAFCO
MAFCO FC coach Prichard Mwasa lost the game before the kick-off after prioritizing old legs for the energetic youthful players.
David Daudi has been instrumental in MAFCO’s excellent form recently that saw them winning five times and drawing twice in seven Matches but he started at the bench today so too was Auspicious Kadzongola who has been scoring vital goals for MAFCO when playing as number 10.
Bullets featured a team full of energetic young stars who kept on running in the entire match and MAFCO FC with their veterans couldn’t match the pace of their opponents. The duo could have started to match Bullets pace.
TACTICAL CHANGES
Pasuwa made numerous attacking substitutions in an attempt to extend their lead in the second half.
Blessings Mpokera was added in the midfield, with Mwaungulu moving to attack from right wing and Hassan Kajoke introduced on the left.
Mpokera and Willard created a double pivot, with Gumbo playing as number 10 supporting Mfune who also came off the bench in an increasingly fluid attacking shape that at times looked more like a 4-2-3-1 than anything else.
Although this left some spaces for MAFCO to attack deeper regains, it did allow Bullets to repeatedly find their forward unit much more in the second half.
RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS
MAFCO FC technical panel and players ran out of ideas as early as the second goal for Bullets at the 12th minute.
The Salima based Soldiers looked disjointed in every aspect and they decided to apply a physical approach to the game which deteriorated their chances of coming back into the game.
The more MAFCO players were committing fouls the more the stoppages of the match and in the process limiting their chances of pressing higher regularly.
PASUWA THE HISTORY MAN
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets coach Kalisto Pasuwa has become the first coach to guide his team into FDH Bank Cup back-to-back triumph.
Critics will say that this Nyasa Big Bullets team is weak compared to the past few seasons’ team, but the Zimbabwean won’t care about the scorecards.
His team may not be the prettiest or the most tactically astute like last season but they win. And what’s more important than that?
