By Isaac Salima:
The football fraternity will have a treat of a mouth-watering fixture between traditional rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets after the Nomads claimed a 3-0 victory over Cobbe Barracks in an FDH Bank Cup round-of-32 match.
Gaddie Chirwa hammered a brace, with Francisco Madinga scoring the other goal, to set up the most fancied fixture on the land.
Bullets proceeded to the round of 16 after thrashing Bangwe All Stars 5-0 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday.
The derby could not have come at a better time than now, as a lot is at stake for both sides.
Bullets are defending the cup they won last year while the Nomads would surely have scores to settle against their rivals following their humiliation in the 2022 semifinal of the same competition.
Wanderers will be eagerly waiting to avenge the 4-0 embarrassing result they suffered at the hands of Bullets two years ago.
On a humid afternoon before a capacity crowd in Balaka, the Nomads were up for serious business, having been fully aware of what the soldiers were capable of doing.
Chirwa opened the score sheet 12 minutes into the match when he outpaced Cobbe defenders before firing past out-of-place goal custodian Clement Mlombwa.
Eight minutes later, Madinga proved his dead ball prowess when he extended the lead from a free-kick.
Madinga’s well-curved free-kick from the right wing proved too good for the outstretched hands of towering Mlombwa.
Chirwa claimed his brace 25 minutes into the match to make it 3-0 and, eventually, seal Nomads’ victory.
The Nomads were the better side throughout and took to the match to the soldiers, who were disjointed in all departments.
Wanderers featured physical players such as Lawrence Chaziya, new catch Cameroonian striker Sammy Thierry, Peter Cholopi and Chirwa to match the soldiers’ style of play.
After the match, Cobbe Coach Reuben Kamanga said they lost the plot in the first half.
“We let in quick goals and that disturbed our match plan. We have lost and have to accept the defeat. We have learnt a lot and we will go back to training sessions and work on that,” Kamanga said.
Wanderers’ goalkeepers trainer Simplex Nthala said they were the better team on the day.
“We scored those quick goals and that destabilised them.
“However, we failed to score in the last half, such that we have to work on that,” Nthala said.
Bullets are the competition’s defending champions after beating Mafco 3-0 in last year’s final.
Sponsors FDH Bank hiked the cup sponsorship amount from K120 million to K150 million.
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