FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Coach Peter Mponda Stands by Tactical Decisions in 1-0 Win Over Mafco FC
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Peter Mponda remained confident in his tactical decisions following the team's narrow 1-0 victory over Mafco FC in the TNM Super League on Sunday. Mponda made bold moves early in the game, introducing Hassan Kajoke and Maxwell Phodo as substitutes for Lameck Gamphani and Frank Willard, respectively.
However, less than 25 minutes later, Mponda made another substitution, bringing on Babatunde Adepoju and Mike Mkwate in place of Kajoke and Phodo. When asked about the early changes, Mponda stood firm, asserting that his primary goal was to secure a win for his team.
"There are no justifications because I don’t owe anyone any. As a coach, I wanted to win the game, hence making those changes. Yes, some of the substitutes didn’t give me what I wanted, but others did, and I am very happy that in the end, it worked," he explained.
The winning goal came in the late stages of the match, with Chikumbutso Salima scoring the decisive strike. The result narrowed the gap between defending champions Bullets and league leaders Mighty Mukuru Wanderers to just a single point.
"I am very happy with the resilience of my boys. The way we forced a result out of such a tough game, even though we didn’t play well. However, the result is more important than our performance, and I am very happy with the result and the efforts from the players," Mponda added.
Bullets had previously recorded a 2-0 victory over Mzuzu City Hammers on Thursday, making it two wins on the road in a row for the team. Looking ahead, Mponda stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in the final first-round fixture against Karonga United.
"It’s a very important game for us because we have already lost two games in Blantyre to Wanderers and Blue Eagles. We need to solidify our home ground advantage to collect maximum points, and that’s what we are looking for in our final game," he concluded.
With just one round of fixtures remaining in the first half of the season, Bullets will be looking to maintain their form and keep the pressure on league leaders Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.
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Summary: FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Peter Mponda defended his tactical decisions during the team's 1-0 win over Mafco FC, despite making several substitutions early in the game. Mponda explained that he made the changes to win the match, and while some of the substitutes did not perform as expected, others made a positive impact. The team's determination and resilience were praised, despite a below-par performance. The coach remains positive about the team's overall direction and is focused on maintaining momentum in the final first-round fixture against Karonga United.
