…Bullets 1-0 Masters
By Edwin Mbewe
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Ephraim Kondowe held his nerve from the penalty spot to rescue FCB Nyasa Big Bullets from a frustrating afternoon, sealing a hard-earned 1-0 victory over a resilient Masters FC in an enthralling FDH Bank Premiership clash at Mpira Stadium.
For more than an hour, the Bullets threw everything at the visitors but found themselves repeatedly denied by determined defending and inspired goalkeeping by Chimbamba.
It took a controversial handball and Kondowe’s composure from 12 yards to finally separate the two sides.
The victory extended Bullets’ unbeaten league run and propelled the People’s Team from fifth to third on the table with 16 points, level with Blue Eagles but behind on goal difference.
From the opening whistle, Bullets signalled their intentions, forcing two consecutive corners inside two minutes before launching wave after wave of attacks.
The breakthrough almost arrived in the ninth minute when Yamikani Mologeni burst down the right and delivered a teasing cross to Kondowe, only for Masters goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba to produce a superb reflex save.
Masters were living dangerously as Damiano Kunje picked up an early booking for bringing down the lively Clever Kalambo before the Bullets forward thought he had finally broken the deadlock in the 18th minute, only for celebrations to be cut short by the assistant referee’s offside flag.
Kalambo continued to torment the visitors’ defence, weaving past his marker before firing narrowly wide, while Frank Willard and Kondowe also squandered promising opportunities as Bullets tightened their grip on the contest.
Yet Masters refused to buckle.
The visitors nearly stunned the home supporters in the 36th minute when Precious Sambani unleashed a thunderous strike that forced Innocent Nyasulu into an outstanding save, ensuring the sides went into the break deadlocked.
Recognising the need for fresh impetus, Bullets coach Wedson Nyirenda reshuffled his pack before and after halftime, introducing Misheck Billiat, Mike Mkwate and Dastain Banda in a bid to unlock the stubborn Masters defence.
The decisive moment finally arrived in the 54th minute.
Kunje handled the ball inside the penalty area, leaving referee Mwai Msungama with little option but to point to the spot. Up stepped Kondowe, who calmly sent Chimbamba the wrong way to spark wild celebrations among the Bullets faithful.
With the deadlock finally broken, Bullets hunted for a second goal, but Chimbamba continued to frustrate the hosts with another fine save to deny Kalambo after a dangerous delivery from Dastain Banda.
Masters, however, refused to surrender and continued searching for a dramatic equaliser. Their best chance arrived just two minutes from time when Chikaiko Batison rose highest inside the box, only to send his header agonisingly over the crossbar.
The closing stages became even more dramatic as Bullets lost Misheck Billiat to injury before Masters head coach Peter Mponda was shown a red card from the technical area in the 80th minute.
After surviving late pressure, Bullets finally heard the whistle they had long been waiting for as they secured maximum points in front of their home supporters.
Mologeni’s outstanding display earned him the Player of the Match award for the second successive game following his impressive performance in last week’s 2-1 victory over Kamuzu Barracks at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.
Despite the victory, Nyirenda admitted his side’s wastefulness in front of goal remains a concern.
“There will never be an easy game for Bullets because every team raises its level against us. We are creating enough chances but not converting them. That’s an area we must improve. We have quality strikers; we just need to build their confidence and, if necessary, strengthen the squad,” he said.
Masters assistant coach Victor Mphande praised his team’s discipline despite the defeat.
“Our game plan worked well, especially in the first half. We wanted to frustrate Bullets by sitting deep, but unfortunately we conceded from the penalty. We will learn from this and come back stronger,” said Mphande.
The defeat leaves Masters in seventh place with 12 points from eight matches, while Bullets climb into the top three and continue their unbeaten march in the 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership.
Silver Strikers remain at the summit with 17 points.
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