FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Triumph Over FC Dragon to Secure CAF Champions League Advancement
This impressive win in the return leg of the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary round solidified their spot in the competition's next stage.
LILONGWE, Malawi — In a gripping showdown at Bingu National Stadium, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets emerged victorious over FC Dragon of Equatorial Guinea, with a scoreline of 1-0, writes Happy Valirani.
This impressive win in the return leg of the 2023 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League preliminary round solidified their spot in the competition's next stage.
Ephraim Kondowe proved to be the hero for the Bullets, smashing in the only goal of the match during the 67th minute.
This crucial goal further cemented their dominance with a 3-0 aggregate victory, having previously secured a 2-0 win in the first leg of the preliminary round in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on August 20, 2023.
The Malawian champions will now face TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League.
These highly anticipated matchups are scheduled for September 15th to 16th, 2023. FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will kick off the proceedings with a home fixture in Lilongwe, followed by a return leg against TP Mazembe in the DRC.
Calisto Pasuwa, the head coach of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, described the match as a tough contest, noting that his team missed several opportunities, particularly in the first half. P
asuwa acknowledged that there were valuable lessons to be learned for their forthcoming clash with TP Mazembe.
"It was a very jittery game in terms of how we approached it; the players were perhaps too relaxed, considering our 2-0 win in the first leg," Pasuwa remarked.
"Our opponents pressed hard, and we struggled to create spaces for our strikers. In the second half, we managed to regroup and secure a goal. We've advanced to the second preliminary round, and I believe it's a lesson learned for our next game."
On the opposing side, Nicolas Nconi Bibang Nchama, the coach of FC Dragon, commended the match's quality, highlighting the improvements compared to their previous encounter in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
Despite their 1-0 loss in Malawi, Bibang Nchama maintained an optimistic outlook for his team's performance, emphasizing that they would review their gameplay upon returning to Equatorial Guinea.
"It was a very good game, different from the one we played in Malabo," Bibang Nchama reflected.
"I am pleased with the performance, and Bullets is a formidable team. We've suffered a 1-0 defeat in Malawi; that's how football goes. We will analyze our performance back in Equatorial Guinea and identify areas for improvement."