Bullets set-up Wanderers clash in Standard Bank Cup semis: Updated
Big Bullets booked their place in the Standard Bank Cup semi-finals past EPAC United in Lilongwe on Sunday after a barren draw aganst determined Epac FC in an action packed second leg match played at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe but clinched a 1-0 aggregate victory following the 1-0 win in the first leg.
The Peoples Team booked a semi-final showdown with bitter rivals Mighty Wanderers.
Both teams had scoring opportunities with Epac creating their best chances in the first half and Bullets coming close to scoring in the second half- thanks to good defending and goalkeeping from both ends.
Epac goalkeeper Jailos Kapalamula, however, deserves much of the praise, having prevented Bullets’ striking trio of Gabadinho Mhango, Heston Munthali and Diverson Mlozi from scoring with his brilliant saves.
The result means Bullets are through to the semi finals after beating the Lilongwe side 1-0 in a first leg encounter at Balaka Stadium last week.
They will now face their bitter rivals Mighty Wanderers this coming Sunday at the same venue- subject to confirmation by Football Association of Malawi (Fam).
Coach for Bullets Eddie Ng’onamo said his team was ready to meet the Nomads: “We are ready to meet Wanderers and we are urging our fans to come in their large numbers to cheer their beloved team.”
About the match against Epac, Ng’onamo said he advised his charges to attack from the word go in defence of their 1-0 first leg lead.
“The best way to defend is to attack and this is what we did throughout the game,” he said.
His counterpart Abbas Makawa blamed Mzuzu based referee Kalyoto Ngosi and his first assistant Bernadetta Kuyimbila of favouring Bullets.
“We could have easily won the game but the boys were frustrated by biased officiation by the referee and his first assistant,” said Makawa, who confronted the referees after the match.
In another semi final clash, Silver Strikers will face their city rivals Civo United.
