Lali Lubani nomadic Mighty Wanderers disgraced their century-old sworn-in arch-rivals FCB Big Bullets with thumping a 3-0 conquest at the football mecca, Kamuzu Stadium, formerly known as Langley Stadium on Sunday in Malawi’s commercial city, Blantyre.
This emphatic hammering against Bullets have given the Mighty Wanderers, popularly known by their moniker Manoma, the city’s bragging rights and have conveniently made them move to just a point to inch closer to the TNM Super League leaders, FCB Big Bullets, with a game in hand on Sunday.
Substituted on exciting attacking Winger Adam Walesi’s first-half strike and fellow surrogate who also came on into the heat of the match from the bench, Blessings Singini, who converted in a second-half brace earned the Nomads the thoroughgoing points and to carry the day and take home the Blantyre Derby bragging rights with extrabravado.
Wanderers coach Bob Mpinganjira stuck to the starting XI that had defeated Blue Eagles 3-1 in a midweek game, with the only exception being midfielder Singini who was relegated to the bench.
In the other camp, Bullets coach Peter Mjojo Mponda also tampered with his usual line-up as Nigerian-born striker Babatunde Adepoju started from the bench with Hassan Kajoke preferred upfront.
After the match the Bullets coach who looked dejected after the final whistle said: “We weren’t good enough. We will take this match as a lesson and will come back stronger.”
Walesi fired Wanderers ahead with a low volley from a tight angle after meeting Muhammad Sulumba’s right flank delivery in the 22nd minute.
The youthful winger scored with his first touch of the ball after replacing injured Wisdom Mpinganjira.
The Nomads went to the break clinging to their slender lead when they should have easily been three goals up had Sulumba not missed three clear scoring opportunities.
Sulumba failed to punish Bullets goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu, who had made a mess of a goal kick.
A few minutes later, the former Polokwane City man miscued an inviting ball in a manner that led to visible embarrassment.
As Bullets retreated to the dressing room at the break, the game remained delicately poised with Wanderers hoping to build on their lead and Bullets seeking to respond and right the many wrongs.
In the second half, Mponda pulled out striker Ephraim Kondowe for Adepoju and Henry Chiwaya.
Adepoju tried to make his presence felt when he fired a shot from distance, but it flew way off target.
FCB Big Bullets seemed to tick after the changes and Wanderers looked clueless on how to mount their attacks after the substitution of Sulumba for Singini.
Singini added the second goal for Wanderers, a long-range bullet from the left flank giving Nyasulu no chance in the 76th minute.
The Nomads killed off the game as a contest when Singini reacted the fastest in the box to connect a poorly cleared corner-kick in the 82nd minute.
Wanderers have now completed a rare double over Bullets after having defeated them in the first round and they can go top of the 16-member league table if they win the game they have in hand.
Mighty Wanderers and FCB Big Bullets are scheduled to meet again next weekend in a cup semifinal in a third instalment of the Blantyre derby.
This will be a do or die match as Big Bullets will be seeking revenge while the Nomads will want to maintain their supremacy and keep the city’s bragging rights.
A Mighty Wanderers well-known staunch supporter, Manoma Clever Ngwalo said: “There are our wives. Come next week will beat them good. It feels good to take our corner as the landlord of Blantyre football.”
“We weren’t good enough.”
Peter Mjojo Mponda
FCB Nyasa Bullets Head Coach
