2021/22 TNM Super League Champions Nyasa Big Bullets on Saturday bagged their fifth successive Charity Shield after beating last season’s FDH Cup Winners Silver Strikers 1-0 in the NBS Charity Shield Playoff at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Silver’s former defender Hadji Wali,who signed for the People’s Team last week, jumped high to head home the lonely goal of the match from a Patrick Mwaungulu’s corner kick in the 36th minute.
It was a third successive loss for Silver against Bullets at the Kamuzu Stadium after they lost 1-2 on 30th July 2020 in the TNM Super League before losing 4-5 in post-match penalties in the Airtel Top 8 Final in
The visitors looked intent to break that jinx on Saturday afternoon as they started strongly in the opening minutes with a fast-paced passing game that mainly involved their wingbacks.
The first chance of the match fell to Silver Strikers forward Stenie Davie in the 5th minute but the striker misjudged his header after receiving a cross from Blessings Tembo.
The Central Bankers orchestrated another attack 5 minutes later when right-back Innocent Shema delivered a dangerous ball into the Bullets box but striker Chawananga Kaonga’s Biyclekick flew over Bullets goalkeeper Clever Mkungula’s goal.
The tides seemed to then turn into the hosts favour from the 25th minute when Bullets took control of the match and started troubling Silver Striker goalkeeper, Charles Thom who was undisturbed until then.
Bullets Defender Erick Kaonga was given room to surge forward and he found Striker Adepoju Babatunde who was fouled just outside the Silver Strikers 18-yard box in the 26th minute.
Newly promoted reserve player, Patrick Mwaungulu stepped up to take the freekick which forced a fine save from Thom.
Three minutes later, Thom was forced to save another dangerous freekick from Mwaungulu after the Silver defense had fouled Bullets winger Misheck Seleman.
The Vistor’s luck however run out in the 36 minute when Mwaungulu, who is quickly establishing himself as a deadball specialist for Bullets, floated a corner kick which found defender Hadji wali unmarked in the box. The defender had the easiest of task as he headed past Thom to give his new employers the lead which Bullets defended until half-time.
The second half proved more entertaining than the first with Silver Strikers searching for an equalizer while Bullets looked for another goal to extend their lead.
It was the hosts who seemed likely to extend their lead as Babatunde was only able to put his shot wide after being fed by substitute Mcfallen Ngwira in the 69th minute.
Just a minute later, another Bullets substitute Enerst Petro though he had extended the lead when Thom spilled the ball in front of him but the midfielder poked his header inches wide of the goal.
It was an end to end encounter as Silver got their best chance a minute later when Blessings Tembo released Kaonga who managed to beat Wali but failed to slot past Clever Mkungula in a one-on-one encounter.
Both teams continued to search for the elusive goal and another Bullets substitute Stanley Biliat failed to find the target from close range after Petro had beaten Thom to feed the Biliati in the 83rd minute.
Tembo could have stolen a late equaliser in the 85th minute when his curled free kick looked destined to find the far right corner of the net before Mkungula stretched himself to deny the Bankers an equaliser and secure a fifth successive Charity Shield triumph for Bullets.
Team line-ups
Nyasa Big Bullets
Clever Mkungula, Chimwemwe Idana, Erick Kaonga, Hadji Wali, Gomezgani Chirwa, Henry Kabichi, Babatunde Adejopu, Lanjesi Nkhoma (Stanely Billiat) Kesten Simbi, Patrick Mwaungulu (Enerst Petro) Mischeck Seleman (Macfallen Ngwira).
Silver Strikers
Charles Thom, Taonga Chiwmodzi (Young Chimodzi), Blessings Tembo, Chawanangwa Kaonga, Steinie Dave (Frank Banda), Patrick Macheso (Maxwell Gasten) Mark Fodya, Maxwell Paipi, John Nickson Mwase, Zebron Kalima (Duncan Nyoni), Shema Innocent.
