Bullets fail to reclaim top slot
Civo United rose from the dead on Sunday to come from two goals down and force Big Bullets to a 2-2 draw in a thrilling TNM Super League match at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The clock does not lie and the Civil Servants turned the game on its head in the last 10 minutes in which they scored both their goals to deny Bullets a return to the summit of the flagship league.
It was also the first time Bullets dropped points this season. They now have 10 points from four games — three points short of Blue Eagles who came from behind to hold Airborne Rangers by the same margin.
Bullets are also known as ‘Kumadzulo’ for their rare knack to turn around fortunes in the dying minutes, but like Liverpool did against Crystal Palace recently when they conceded three goals in the last 11 minutes to draw 3-3, Bullets also lost the plot in the final moments.
Diverson Chilemba put Bullets ahead in the 30th minute when he coolly planted home Mussa Manyenje’s fine curler.
Captain Henry Kabichi netted the second for Bullets in the 54th minute.
Then Bullets felt they had done enough and lost concentration, allowing the Civil Servants to breathe a new lease of life into their game.
They kept Bullets on the back foot and in the 80th minute they pulled one back through Vincent Nyangulu before Charles Chilembo snatched the equaliser in the 86th minute to leave Bullets feeling sick in the stomach.
Bullets rued three clear cut chances missed by Chilemba, who was later taken off stage for Tizgowere Kumwenda.
Bullets coach Elia Kananji described the result as painful.
“We paid for complacency. We thought we had the game wrapped up when we led 2-0, it should serve as a bitter lesson that a game is not won until the final whistle,” said Kananji.
Civo captain Emmanuel Zoya said they never gave up hope and fought until literally the last gasp.
It was a fruitful trip to the South for Civo as they returned to the capital with four points, having beaten Chikwawa United 2-1 on Saturday in Nchalo. They now have five points from five games.
In Balaka, Mighty Wanderers earned their first point this season when they held Azam Tigers 1-1. Other results: Tigers 1 Wanderers 1; Karonga 1 Red Lions 2, Kamuzu Barracks 1 Blantyre United 0.
