FCB Nyasa Big Bullets have won the 2025/26 Castel Challenge Cup after they defeated Goshen City Dedza Dynamos 2-1 at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.
In a nutshell, the first half was cagey and physical, with Bullets doing most of the attacking while Dedza Dynamos stayed compact and disciplined at the back.
Bullets applied sustained pressure, forced corners and won dangerous set pieces, but Dedza defended resolutely.
For instance, in the 16th minute, Dedza’s Lughano Kaira stood firm by intercepting counterattacks from their opponents.
Chances were also limited and various injury stoppages disrupted the rhythm.
Bullets opened the scoring in the 58th minute as Hassan Kajoke received a pass from midfield and went all the way to the penalty box, beating the advancing Goshen City Dedza Dynamos Goal Keeper, Donnex Mwakasinga.
Later on, Kajoke doubled the lead in the 82nd minute through a penalty.
What caused it was when he was brought down in the box by Dedza Dynamos’ defender, Daniel Mponya, who was immediately yellow carded.
As fans were celebrating Bullets’ goal, Dedza Dynamos’ Chikondi Mbeta Junior pulled one back.
Mbeta scored with a strong kick to the top right corner after he received a lightly lifted throughball from the left.
Minutes later, Bullets thought they scored the third goal via Yamikani Mologeni, but he was ruled to be offside.
At the end of the game, Kajoke was awarded as the man of the match.
Dedza coach, Alex Ngwira, said the game was good because his team was not scared.
“In the first half it was a bit more balanced, however, we lost sight in the second half, whereby we had to open up in the blind sight and that is where we were hurt and indecisiveness from our goalkeeper caused the first goal.
The second goal, it was a cheap penalty, so to speak. The defender had the piece of the ball before the striker went down,” Ngwira said.
Bullets’ Interim Coach, Gilbert Chirwa, said it was a tough game as they expected and they never underrated their opponents.
Chirwa said he told his charges to keep on fighting at halftime.
“It was a balanced game all together, because I think Dedza did their homework quite well.
Towards the end, I think we scored a third goal, but the linesman denied the goal for no apparent reason, but all the same we are not worried in fact that we have won,” Chirwa said.
Bullets reached the finals of the tournament after they defeated Mzuzu City Hammers 2-0 on 8 February, 2026 at the Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre , courtesy of Wongani Lungu’s brace.
Dynamos had a historic campaign as they reached the final for the first time.
They did this as they defeated Blue Eagles 4-3 on post-match penalties after a late goal from Luke Chima made them equalise 1-1 as Micium Mhone had scored about 6 minutes earlier.
Since the tournament has concluded, Bullets’ Maxwell Gastin Phodo has claimed his golden boot because he has scored 7 goals.
Blue Eagles’ Mhone is the second best since he managed to net 4, and his fellow teammates, Tonic Viyuyu and Francis Mchema scored three goals, together with Dynamos’ Chima.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President, Fleetwood Haiya, said the tournament, overall, was a success.
Haiya hailed the supporters for keeping discipline and flocking to the stadium, the sponsors and the media.
Since the introduction of the tournament, Bullets have now won it twice (2023, 2025) and Mighty Wanderers have won it once (2024).
