FCB Nyasa Big Bullets forward Maxwell Gastin Phodo has become the first Super League player since 2000 to score a brace in a major African competition after scoring both goals in Bullets’ 2-0 away win over Dragon FC of Equatorial Guinea in the first leg of CAF Champions League preliminary round played on Sunday evening.
Phodo netted his first ever International goal just after seven minutes when he rose high to head home a Lanjesi Nkhoma corner kick.
The former Silver Striker’s forward doubled the lead on 36th minute with a powerful shot inside the box, thanks to Gomezgani Chirwa’s assist.
Phodo thought he completed his hattrick on 61st minute but his third goal of the evening was rulled out for offside.
With two goals in the encounter, Phodo became the first Super League player since 2000 to score twice in a single match in CAF Champions League.
Since the year 2000, local clubs have played 32 games in a home and away format but none has managed to score more than once in a single match.
In 2000, the People’s team were booted out in their first fixture when they lost 5-0 on aggregate to Burundi side Vital’O FC.
Thereafter, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets took a three year break before rejoining the competition in 2004. It was this period that they enjoyed a stellar performance, reaching a lucrative group stages of CAF Champions League.
In preliminary Stages, they relied on Fischer Kondowe and James Chilapondwa to beat Uganda’s Villa FC 2-1 on Aggregate before another 6-5 victory on penalties over Zambian side Zanaco following a 1-1 goal aggregate thanks to Jimmy Zakazaka’s goal.
They completed their preliminary round games with a victory over Orlando Pirates of South Africa.
The Red Army beat Pirates 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium courtesy of Dick Malidadi’s goal before being defeated 2-1 at Orlando Stadium with their goal scored by Ganizani Malunga. Bullets progressed through away goal rule.
In group stages, Dick Malidadi and Grant Lungu scored a goal each to hand Bullets 2-1 win on aggregate over African Sport of Cameroon.
They also lost 2-1 to Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel and Fischer Kondowe was the scorer of their goal.
The team suffered a huge defeat against Nigerian Enyimba FC 7-1 on Aggregate with Robert Ng’ambi scoring the consolation goal.
In 2015, Bullets returned to the CAF Champions League football with a 3-2 win over Comoros side. Tizgobere Kumwenda scored in away 1-0 win before scoring again at Kamuzu Stadium in a game that ended 2-2 and Victor Limbani scored the other goal.
After progressing to the next stage of the preliminary round the People’s Team were massacred 5-1 by Sudan’s Al hilal FC and Bullets’ goal was scored by James Chilapondwa.
In 2017 it was the turn for Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who lost their first game against AS Vita of Democratic Republic of Congo who thrashed them 6-1 on aggregate and Peter Wadabwa is the one who scored Nomads goal.
A year later, two teams represented Malawi in CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup respectively and they were Silver Strikers who lost 4-3 on penalties to Circle Mberi Sportive after a 1-1 aggregate draw, while Masters Security who participated in Confederation Cup lost 5-0 on aggregate to Angola’s Petroleos de Luanda.
In 2019 Chiukepo Msowoya scored for Nyasa Big Bullets in a 1-1 draw on aggregate against Gor Mahia of Kenya who sailed through on penalty shootout.
The 2020 edition saw Bullets losing to Zimbabwean side Platinum Stars. Patrick Phiri and Peter Banda scored for Bullets in a game they lost 3-2.
The 3-2 defeat was repeat a year later when they lost to South African side AmaZulu FC and this time it was Chiukepo Msowoya and Henry Kabich on target.
And last year they were ousted by Simba Sports Club after losing 4-0 on Aggregate.
With these stats it shows that Phodo is the only Super League player to score twice in CAF competitions.
