Chaomba, Jackson stub as Creck crack Bullets’ title ambitions

FCB Nyasa Big Bullets walked into Mchinji with confidence, history and superiority on their side, but they walked out humbled. A 2–0 defeat to Creck Sporting — a side they had beaten comfortably earlier in the year — stunned the travelling supporters and sent a ripple across the Super League title race. What unfolded on Sunday afternoon was not just an upset; it was a reminder that football punishes complacency with ruthless efficiency.

George Chaomba punished Bullets from set pieces again as he rose higher then the visitors’ defense to meet the corner-kick early in the second half before he dispossessed the ball from Andrew Jovinala to tee up Jackson Beza who put the game beyond Bullets’ reach.

For months, the story between these two clubs had tilted heavily in Bullets’ favour. They had beaten Creck 4–1 at Kamuzu Stadium in April, a result that showed the gulf in quality and experience. Before that, they had also triumphed 3–2 in September, and their last visit to Creck had produced a 1–1 draw. In their last three meetings, Bullets had taken seven points out of nine and scored eight goals against the same opponents. Everything about the recent rivalry suggested Bullets would dominate again.

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And yet, from the first whistle in Mchinji, the script felt wrong.

Creck, spurred on by a raucous a good number of home crowd, showed hunger from the opening minutes. They pressed more aggressively than usual, doubled up on Bullets’ wide men and looked sharper in transitions. Bullets, who arrived with a reshuffled lineup — three changes introduced before kickoff — never quite settled.

Blessings Mpokera who has been the main pillar for the club in defense this season sustained an injury and he was not in the team, it really hurt them. Their normally fluent midfield could not stitch passes together, and the forward line drifted through the game without impact.

The warning signs were there early, and Creck did not waste their moment. Bullets were dealt with as blow when Wongani Lungu limped off injured and he was replaced by old-legged Bright Munthali just 26 minutes into the game.

Creck had a goal ruled out for offside but it was just delayed. They took the lead few minutes later.

A clever move sliced through Bullets’ defensive shape midway through the second half, they won a corner-kick which ended with a composed header from Chaomba that sent the stadium into a roar.

Bullets, already wobbling, began chasing the game, but the more they pushed forward, the more exposed they became. Creck punished them again just after an hour mark with a low, clinical strike from Beza tmade it 2–0 and left the visitors shell-shocked.

From then on, the match belonged to Creck. They defended with discipline, retreated into compact lines and absorbed every Bullets attempt to claw back into the contest. Bullets huffed and puffed, but nothing came of it — no breakthrough, no spark, not even a period of sustained pressure. The swagger that carried them through their recent victories simply did not travel to Mchinji.

Recent form made this loss even more jarring. Bullets had been picking up important wins, including a strong 2-0 win result over Kamuzu Barracks. Their season had been characterised by moments of brilliance, but also patches of vulnerability — especially in away matches where tactical adjustments were required. This match exposed the fragility that still lurks beneath their title ambitions.

With Wanderers dropping points in Chitipa, Bullets had the chance of opening a three-point lead at the top but they failed and they are now level with Wanderers who have played game less.

Creck, meanwhile, have been unpredictable all season. They can be erratic, inconsistent and at times careless — yet when everything clicks, they are capable of performances like this one. They defended with purpose, attacked with intelligence and showed a level of belief that had been missing in earlier battles with Bullets. Instead of being overawed by the visitors they embraced the occasion and delivered their most complete performance of the season.

The meeting between Creck Sporting Club and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets marks the seventh encounter between the two sides in all competitions, a fixture that has steadily grown into one of the most intriguing. The previous six clashes had produced three league fixtures, two Airtel Top 8 Cup matches and one Sapitwa Top 4 contest. In all those meetings, one fact stood firm: Creck had never beaten Bullets. Now they have done it.

From those six games, Bullets won four times in regulation play, while two matches ended in draws. Not once had Creck managed to claim victory over the Peter Mponda’s team, making the fixture historically one-sided. But they turned it around.

Their competitive history began in the 2024 Super League season, where the first league meeting ended 1–1 at Civo Stadium, with Gift Kadawati scoring for Creck and Patrick Mwaungulu rescuing Bullets. The return fixture at Kamuzu Stadium was a dramatic 3–2 victory for Bullets, decided by a Maxwell Phodo brace and a Baba finish, while Sulumba struck twice for Creck to keep them in the contest.

In the 2025 season, Bullets extended their dominance with a commanding 4–1 win, courtesy of goals from Lungu, Baba, Salima and Mologen, while Kondwani Chilembwe found the consolation goal for Creck.

Cup competitions told the same story. In the 2025 Airtel Top 8, the first leg finished goalless, but Bullets sealed progress with a 1–0 away win, the decisive goal coming from Maxwell Phodo. Even the Sapitwa Top 4 meeting went Bullets’ way — a narrow 1–0 victory, again decided by Phodo, who has emerged as the most prolific scorer in this fixture.

Across the meetings, Maxwell Phodo leads the scoring charts with four goals, followed by Baba and Sulumba, each on two goals.

Form coming into this fixture paints a contrasting picture for the two sides. Creck were  10th in the league with 30 points from 24 matches, offering a season defined by stubbornness rather than flair. They have collected seven wins — only Tigers, Hammers and Songwe have fewer — and remain level with Dedza, Mafco and Moyale, who also have seven victories. Their nine draws are the joint-highest in the league alongside Moyale, a testament to their cautious, disciplined approach. With only eight defeats, they have lost fewer games than every team except Bullets, Silver and Civil, emphasising their defensive solidity.

Now, Creck are 9th with 33 points, chasing safety and chasing a spot in the Airtel Top 8 Cup next season.

Yet their 2025 campaign has been hampered by a blunt attack. Just 19 goals scored all season makes them one of the league’s lowest-scoring sides; only Songwe have fewer. Defensively, they have conceded 22 goals, placing them in the mid-table range.

Home and away splits highlight their personality. At home, Creck are resilient: six wins, four draws and three losses, scoring nine and conceding eight while keeping a remarkable nine clean sheets. On the road, they have struggled: two wins, five draws and five defeats, with eight goals scored and 14 conceded, managing only three clean sheets.

Their recent form has shown flashes of grit. They beat Karonga 1–0, drew 1–1 away to Songwe and 1–1 against Hammers, narrowly lost 2–1 to Silver, and picked up a crucial 2–1 victory over Tigers.

Bullets, by contrast, arrive as the league’s benchmark. They top the standings with 56 points from 24 games, the product of 18 wins, four defeats and just two draws. No team has won more matches than Bullets, and only Silver and Wanderers have lost fewer. Now they have suffered 5 defeats in a single season since 2011-12 season.

Their 52 goals make them the league’s highest-scoring side, while their defensive record is equally impressive — just 18 goals conceded, one of the best in the division.

Both home and away, Bullets have been formidable. At Kamuzu Stadium, they have played 13 times, winning 10, drawing once and losing twice, with 38 goals scored and 12 conceded. Away from home, they boast eight wins, one draw and three defeats, scoring 14 and conceding just six— the league’s strongest away defensive record. Their 15 clean sheets, split between seven at home and eight away, underline their balance and structure.

Recent results show a powerhouse with occasional stumbles but a strong recovery instinct. They beat Kamuzu Barracks 2–0, edged Civil 4–3, drew away 0–0 against Eagles, suffered a rare setback in a 0–3 defeat to Wanderers, then rebounded with a 3–0 win over Mafco and a hard-earned 2–1 triumph against Silver Strikers.

By the time the final whistle blew, the meaning of this result had become clear. It was not just about three points. It was about belief restored for Creck, and humility forced upon Bullets. It reshaped the psychological dynamics between the two clubs, tilting confidence away from the giants and giving Creck something they had not possessed in this rivalry — proof that they could beat Bullets outright.

For Bullets, the journey back to reclaim the title now requires introspection. Their head-to-head dominance did not protect them. Their recent results did not shield them. Football rewards the team that turns up on the day, and in Mchinji, it was Creck who arrived ready for a fight.