Nyasa Big Bullets are this afternoon on a mission to end home curse in the CAF Champions League preliminary first round as they host Simba SC of Tanzania in the first leg at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

The People’s Team last won at home in 2004 when, under former president Bakili Muluzi’s sponsorship, they beat SC Villa of Uganda 2-1 in the preliminary round first leg at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, courtesy of Fischer ‘Anong’a’ Kondowe and James Chilapondwa’s strikes.

Bullets players (in red) in
action against AmaZulu
last year

That year, they also set a record as being the only Malawian club to have reached the CAF club competitions knockout stage when they progressed to the quarter-finals.

In their last three appearances, Bullets either lost or drew in their home matches. In last year’s edition, they were booted out 3-2 on aggregate by South Africa’s Amazulu FC after winning 1-0 away and losing 3-1 at home.

In 2019, the TNM Super League champions exited the competition in the same round following a goalless draw at home against Platinum Stars of Zimbabwe and a 3-2 away loss.

When they competed in the 2015 edition, they beat Fomboni FC of the Comoros 1-0 away and settled for a two-all stalemate at home to progress to the first round, where they lost 4-0 away to Egyptian side Alhilal before drawing 1-1 as hosts.

 But with 29 of Bullets’ 30 players fit and available for selection ahead of today’s encounter, and patronage finally being allowed unlike last year when fans were prohibited due to Covid-19, head coach Kalisto Pasuwa bubbles with confidence that his charges will finally banish their home performance demons.

“We lost at home in the last edition and it is important to avoid a repeat of that. All our players are fit except Yankho Singo, who is nursing an injury. This, plus home-crowd support, give us confidence that we will win this match,” he said.

Pasuwa added that it is good that his young squad, whose majority were promoted from their reserve side, will be playing at home first.

“We are happy that these young boys will know how it feels to play on the international stage with the home crowd backing them before we play away,” he said.

Nevertheless, Simba, who have arrived a few days after firing head coach Zoran Maki and replaced him with his assistant Selemani Matola, are not a pushover.

The Tanzanian club, which has former Bullets forward Peter Banda in their fold, have appeared in the competition 11 times within the last two decades, securing two quarter-final berths in 2020 and 2018.

After today’s match, Bullets travel to Tanzania for a second-leg clash on September 18.

Victors of the two-legged tie will progress to the first round where they will play against winners of the other preliminary round fixture between Red Arrows of Zambia and Angola’s Primera Agusto.

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