{"id":50994,"date":"2017-07-27T10:42:25","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T08:42:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.times.mw\/?p=50994"},"modified":"2017-07-27T10:42:29","modified_gmt":"2017-07-27T08:42:29","slug":"big-bullets-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/2017\/07\/27\/big-bullets-through\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Bullets through"},"content":{"rendered":"

M<\/strong>ercurial attacking midfielder Mike Mkwate pulled Nyasa Big Bullets from the depth of despair as they staged a late comeback to see off Kamuzu Barracks (KB) 5-3 on post-match penalties in a tense Carlsberg Cup round-of-16 duel at Chilomoni Stadium, Blantyre yesterday.<\/p>\n

Bullets are through to the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

Mkwate snatched a late leveller, from the edge of the 18-yard box, volleying against the bar, past KB goalkeeper Lemani Nthala\u2019s desperate palm then into the net\u2014just when the soldiers thought they had the game sewn in the bag following Harvey Nkacha\u2019s 67th minute acrobatic goal.<\/p>\n

Mkwate\u2019s equaliser paved way for penalty lotteries that saw Bullets convert through Chiukepo Msowoya, Bright Munthali, Emmanuel Zoya, Pilirani Zonda and Yamikani Fodya.<\/p>\n

KB scored from the dreaded spot through World Nkuliwa, Nangaunozge Luhanga and Pempho Kansichiri, only for nervous Sammy Chiponda to send his spot kick wide. Bullets were through to the quarter-finals and the red party began right on the pitch.<\/p>\n

During regulation time, both teams matched pound-for-pound, but Bullets had a slight upper hand. The hosts visited KB\u2019s territory, but overlapping left-back Fodya and Mussa Manyenje\u2019s deliveries from the flanks failed to trouble Nthala and Pilirani Makupe-led defence.<\/p>\n

Bullets interim Coach, Elia Kananji, made some surprise changes to the starting XI with former Mzuni custodian Labson Chiyenda given a rare run between the sticks whereas Zoya manned the central defence\u2014and he looked inspired clearing and intercepting all KB\u2019s killer passes.<\/p>\n

Save for Manyenje\u2019s long range diagonal shot, which needed Nthala\u2019s finger-tip save, the first half ended with Bullets attacking and KB soaking up the pressure.<\/p>\n

In the second half, Munthali seemed inspired as he stretched KB\u2019s defence with his runs and turns, but his finishing let him down. In one moment, Munthali zig-zagged his way past markers on the left but skied his shot. Earlier, the former Azam Tigers striker sent his effort crashing against the bar.<\/p>\n

Bullets were soon trailing as a poorly cleared ball from the right granted Nkacha acres of space and he obliged by sending his overhead kick into the net. Bullets players reacted by dropping their heads but Mkwate took it upon to urge his colleagues on.<\/p>\n

Then Fodya tried to fashion an equaliser by whipping a dangerous low ball across KB\u2019s goal-mouth but Nkuliwa swept the ball away to safety.<\/p>\n

Kananji pulled defender Miracle Gabeya, Nelson Kangunje and Manyenje for Bashir Maunde, Collen Nkhulambe and Kondwani Kumwenda, respectively, who eventually hit the side-netting before Mkwate\u2019s late volley and the subsequent penalties.<\/p>\n

In a post-match interview, KB Coach, Billy Phambala, congratulated Bullets on reaching the quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in control for the better part of the game but we allowed them to come back into the game. My charges gave it their all and in penalties, anything can happen,\u201d Phambala said.<\/p>\n

Kananji said: \u201cWhen we were trailing, I told the guys that as long as 90 minutes was not over, there was no need to give up. It is mission accomplished. We look forward to the next game against Be Forward Wanderers.\u201d<\/p>\n

In other round-of-16 games played yesterday, Moyale Barracks thrashed Dwangwa United 4-0 whereas Kumbukani Mwambeni\u2019s goal handed Red Lions a 1-0 win over Silver Strikers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mercurial attacking midfielder Mike Mkwate pulled Nyasa Big Bullets from the depth of despair as they staged a late comeback to see off Kamuzu Barracks (KB) 5-3 on post-match penalties in a tense Carlsberg Cup round-of-16 duel at Chilomoni Stadium, Blantyre yesterday. Bullets are through to the quarter-finals. Mkwate snatched a late leveller, from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":50997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50994","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50994","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50994"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50994\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51025,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50994\/revisions\/51025"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50994"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50994"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.times.mw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50994"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}