Sports Reporter
KALISTO Pasuwa’s Nyasa Big Bullets were ruthlessly bundled out of the CAF Champions League, going down 0-5 on aggregate to five-time champions, TP Mazembe of DRC.
After winning 1-0 in Malawi a fortnight ago, TP Mazembe raced into a 4-0 lead at halftime while the second half had no goals.
With the defeat, Bullets missed out on a US$700 000 (about K788 million) prize.
In Saturday’s defeat, Bullets never looked remotely capable of standing the might of their opponents and by half time, it was all over.
The hosts took the lead barely four minutes into the match, even before the fans got the real feel of the action.
Captain Kevin Mondeko Zanku swung upfield to head home a well taken corner kick by Talla to send the home fans into frenzy.
Eight minutes later, midfielder Glody Likonza made it 2-0.
Cheick Oumar Abdallah Fofana, who scored the lone goal in the first leg, made it 3-0 in the 20th minute and it was all over for the People’s Team.
As time ticked on before the interval, Pasuwa rung three changes, pulling out Peter Banda, McFarlane Mgwira and Collins Okumu for Chawanangwa Gumbo, Charles Petro and Hassan Kajoke.
There was renewed purpose in Bullets’ play after the changes, but sadly, not enough to stop the hosts, who scored the fourth through Merceil Ngimbi in the 40th minute and job done for the Congolese and plenty of food for thought for Bullets, whose fifth attempt for the continental crown took them to the second preliminary round, but not anywhere above that.
Bullets looked more organised in the second half in which they didn’t concede, but the hosts were already in the comfort zone. – Sports Reporter/The Nation