Malawi’s representative at this year’s CECAFA Kagame Cup, Nyasa Big Bullets beat South Sudan’s Altabara 2-0 to set up a semifinal clash against Tanzanian side, Azam FC on Wednesday 11th August.
In the other semifinal, Express FC from Burundi will face KMKM SC from Zanzibar on Monday, 10th August.
Bullets, also known as the People’s Team and TNM Super League defending champions, are participating in the tournament taking place in Tanzania as guests and were drawn in Group A alongside Young Africans (Yanga), Express FC and Altabara.
In their opening Group A match, the Malawian side settled for a 1-all draw against Yanga, before registering a similar result against Express FC.
And on Saturday, first half goals from defender Nickson Nyasulu and striker Hassan Kajoke secured Bullets semifinal over the Sudanese champions.
Bullets have qualified for the semifinal as the second best team from Group A behind leaders Express who defeated Tanzania’s Yanga 3-1 on Saturday.
The Malawian side made it with five points from three games, two points behind the leaders Express whereas Yanga on two points and Atlabara bowed out having finished the group on two points and one point.
In Group B games, KMKM stunned already qualified Azam FC 3-2 at the Azam Complex, Chamazi.
In another game for the group, defending champions KCCA FC lost 1-0 to Burundi’s Le Messager Ngozi FC. KMKM qualified as the second best team in Group B.
Bullets now require two wins out two to emerge the champion of the CECAFA Kagame Cup with USD 30,000 as the prize, while USD 20,000 and USD 10,000 will be given to the second and third teams respectively.
Bullets Peter Mponda praised his charges for showing great character in the last group match after the draws.
Mponda said they need not to be complacent as they prepare for the semifinals where things will get tougher.
The annual CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is considered the oldest football tournament in Africa.
The tournament is collaborative between the larger Eastern African countries and part of Central Africa and run by the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).
CECAFA is made up of 11 members ten of whom are federations recognized by FIFA; Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Burundi, Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya while the 11th – Zanzibar is still chasing Association status with the World governing body.
The tournament began way back in 1926 under the name Gossage Cup which then was mainly a Kenya-Uganda affair.
