Two natural defenders, Bullets keep clean Sheet: Mponda explains tactical gamble against KB

FCB Nyasa Big Bullets continue to defy odds and rewrite defensive expectations in the TNM Super League, having now kept seven clean sheets from eight matches in all competitions despite a significant exodus of key defenders earlier this year.

Only CRECK Sporting Club has managed to breach Bullets’ backline this season. Silver Strikers, Kamuzu Barracks, and Songwe Border United are among the notable names that have drawn blanks against the reigning champions.

In their most recent fixture — a commanding 4-0 dismantling of Kamuzu Barracks FC — Bullets fielded just two natural defenders, Clyde Senaji and Blessings Mpokera. Yet, they looked anything but fragile. Head coach Peter Mponda deployed midfielder Yankho Singo as part of a makeshift back-three, a bold tactical shift that once again paid off handsomely.

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The defensive reshuffle comes in the wake of a turbulent transfer period that saw the club lose almost an entire backline. Alick Lungu opted not to renew his contract, while Gomezgani Chirwa, Nixon Nyasulu, Precious Phiri, and Collins Mujuru all moved to Zimbabwe — three of them joining ambitious Premier Soccer League side Ngezi Platinum.

“It was clear when I rejoined the team that the defense needed urgent work,” admitted Mponda, who returned to Bullets after winning the league with Silver Strikers. “We had to rebuild from scratch and that meant taking risks and adjusting our system.”

To compensate for the lack of depth at the back, Mponda has overhauled the team’s shape — moving away from the traditional 4-3-3 and implementing a 3-5-2 system that prioritizes possession and flexibility.

Against Kamuzu Barracks, he fielded six central midfielders, including Singo in defense. But rather than appear disjointed, Bullets were fluid, aggressive, and well-organized.

“What we wanted was to have 11 players on the pitch who can execute the plan,” Mponda said post-match. “We’re proud of the players. They understood their roles and gave everything. It doesn’t matter if Singo is a midfielder by trade — he was outstanding as a defender today.”

Mponda’s emphasis on tactical intelligence and positional fluidity has become a defining feature of this new-look Bullets side. Without a traditional defensive core, the team has leaned into collective organization, pressing, and possession retention to keep opponents at bay.

“The idea was to dominate the game from start to finish,” Mponda added. “We had to take the game away from KB early, and that’s what we did. Our defensive numbers are not about individuals — they’re about team effort and discipline.”