Nyasa Big Bullets yesterday beat Mafco 2-0 on the waterlogged Kamuzu Stadium turf in Blantyre to move two places up to second position on the 16-team TNM Super League log table.
Goals in each half by Mussa Manyenje and Muhammed Sulumba ensured that Bullets displaced Blue Eagles, who have slid back a step to third position following a 0-1 loss to Azam Tigers at Nankhaka Stadium in Lilongwe yesterday via Bright Munthali’s header in the 28th minute.
Both Bullets and Eagles have 48 points from 26 games but the People’s Team has a superior goal difference. Mafco are now fourth with 46 points from 26 matches.
At Kamuzu Stadium, the kickoff was delayed for 30 minutes following a heavy downpour.
In the 27th minute Manyenje put Bullets ahead with a spectacular goal. He got a standing ovation from Bullets fans when he connected home Dalitso Sailesi’s cross with a bicycle kick. The first half ended 1-0.
Muhammed Sulumba made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute when he beat an off-side trap before sending Mafco goalkeeper Dalitso Makunganya the wrong way in a one-on-one situation.
“This was probably the most difficult game for us in the league, considering that Mafco were on top of us and were having a good away record. Now, we can see light at the end of the tunnel on our title defence bid,” said Bullets team manager Rahim Ishmael.
But Mafco team manager Chawezi Ngwira blamed the loss to psychological torture by Bullets fans before the game.
“Our players were psychologically affected after being locked out of the stadium gates by Bullets supporters. We arrived at the venue at around 1 pm but they denied us entry for at least an hour. This cost us the game,” Ngwira said.
At Mpira ground in Chiwembe, Blantyre, Silver Strikers settled for a goalless draw with PremierBet Wizards to remain fifth with 44 points from 25 games. Wizards have played the same number of matches and they remain 13th on the log table with 26 points.
