FCB Nyasa Bullets yesterday had a perfect start to their Airtel Top 8 title defence with a 2-0 victory over Civil Service United at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Two quick first-half goals within five minutes from Stanley Billiat and Chawanangwa Gumbo handed the holders an advantage in the quarter-final first leg.
Billiat tapped the ball past Civil goalkeeper Rahman John from a Babatunde Adepoju neat pass in the seventh minute to give the defending champions the lead.
Gumbo made it 2-0 five minutes later from striker Ephraim Kondowe’s square pass.
Not amused with the two goals Civil coach Abbas Makawa pulled out goalkeeper John and introduced Blessings Juma.
He also shook up the defence as Damiano Kunje and John Dambuleni replaced Kelvin Kadzinje and Boston Kabango.
In the 40th minute, Bullets had a chance to score the third goal after a brilliant run from Billiat and Babatunde but Kondowe wasted the opportunity.
At half-time it was 2-0 as the hosts opted to sit deep while the visitors tried to come back into the game.
Bullets’ first substitution came just after recess as Chikumbutso Salima came in for Kondowe.
Civil made two more substitutions on the 63rd minute, as China Chirwa and Mathews Hamuza replaced Blessings Malinda and Chifundo Ngapemba.
Bullets responded with a double substitution in the 73rd minute as Llyod Aaron and Maxwell Phodo came in for goalscorers Billiat and Gumbo.
Wongani Lungu also came in for Frank Willard.
But the status quo did not change as Bullets cruised to a 2-0 victory.
Bullets assistant coach Michael Ngole in a post-match interview said the battle was still on as the two sides will clash in the second leg next week in Lilongwe.
He said: “It looks easier after the match, but it wasn’t an easy game. Congratulations to the boys for getting it right in the first leg. But we are yet to play the second leg. I don’t think we have an advantage over them.”
On his part, Makawa said the battle is not yet over.
He said: “We lost touch in the first 20 minutes. We will go back and rectify the shortfalls and come back stronger in the second leg.”
