FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ right midfielder, Chikumbutso Salima, has joined the TNM Super League top scorers chart after his 89th-minute strike helped his side edge out Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos at Dedza Stadium on Wednesday.
He now shares the three-goal tally with his colleagues Babatunde Adepoju and Wongani Lungu, Wisdom Mpinganjira (Wanderers), Zeliati Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks), James Stambuli (Blue Eagles), Grayson Msowoya and Samuel Olatubosun (Moyale Barracks).
Salima found the back of the net from Adepoju’s through ball into the box and earned the Man-of-the Match award.
Bullets’ Lungu posed the first threat in the 8th minute but failed to connect Salima’s cross.
Another clear opportunity came in the 24th minute when Babatunde’s strike hit the post.
Dedza responded in the 42nd minute as Frank Sanudi’s long-range effort also struck the upright.
Dedza’s Otchaya Okoti was booked in the 67th minute after fouling Babatunde and was later sent off in the 90th minute after receiving a second yellow card.
Bullets’ coach, Peter Mponda, commended his players.
“Credit should not go to the coaches but to the players who took the instruction,” Mponda said.
On the other hand, Andrew Bunya, Dedza’s Coach, expressed his disappointment with their performance.
“It is something that has hurt us the most because we wanted to surprise Bullets by scoring an early goal,” Bunya said.
The match grossed K33,408,000 in gate collections, making it one of the highest recorded figures at the venue, as the venue was filled to the brim.
Both teams received 27.5% each, amounting to K7,871,310.15. Dedza District Council earned K7.1 million, while SULOM received K2 million.
Football Association of Malawi and the Malawi National Council of Sports collected K1 million apiece.
This victory, Bullets’ first at Dedza Stadium against Dynamos, extends their lead at the top of the table with 12 points, three ahead of Ekhaya, who have 9 points from 4 games.
League action continues on Thursday as rookies and bottom-placed side with a single point, Songwe Border United, face the defending champions, Silver Strikers, who are 13th placed, at Karonga United.
Elsewhere on the same day, Mighty Wanderers, who are fifth with 6 points, will face 10th-placed MAFCO FC, who also have 6 points but are separated by goals.
