The country is holding its breath as the TNM Super League top two teams, Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets, face off at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe this afternoon.
The Lilongwe and Blantyre giants are just separated by six points, but the defending champions have played a game less against the Central Bankers.
Silver Strikers and Bullets being in a two-way tussle for the league title is nothing new. The two clubs have been fighting for the title on a number of occasions with their most famous battle for the championship coming in the 2012 season.
It was a campaign which saw both sides finish on 58 points, but Silver Strikers managed to win the title as they had a superior goal difference to Bullets after hammering the then Blantyre United 5-0.
Presently, the Bankers, who will be wrapping pup the first-round of the 2020/21 campaign this afternoon, have also a better goal difference, but with plenty of games to come in the second round.
The defending champions are coming from a 1-1 draw with Be Forward Wanderers whilst the Area 47 side also drew 0-0 at home against Mighty Tigers last weekend.
Bullets head coach Kalisto Pasuwa during the week downplayed suggestions that Bullets need to be winning against Silver Strikers as one way of showing intent, saying you win the title by beating every team that comes.
“For one to be a champion you don’t need to beat Silver Strikers only. You need to beat each and every team that comes. If you can see, the games which are giving us problems are those teams in the bottom of the log table so us as Bullets, we just prepare physically, mentally and tactically on the boys and then we go and play the game as it comes,” said Pasuwa in Blantyre on Thursday, a day before The People’s Team arrived in Lilongwe for the clash.
One of the most memorable clashes between the two sides was in the 2019 season. The first-round, with Bullets as hosts at Kamuzu Stadium, produced four goals, with the home team edging the match 3-1 courtesy of strikes from Hassan Kajoke, Precious Sambani and Chimwemwe Idana whilst Mike Teteh scored for the visitors.
The game with Silver Strikers as hosts produced only a single goal, with Bullets again edging the match courtesy of a late second-half strike from Idana in a very muddy pitch due to heavy downpour in the Capital. This was a match which took Bullets closer to returning the title they won in 2018 and indeed, The People’s Team finished the season as champions.
Bullets will need the same kind of spirit and determination to overcome a highly-spirited side which is currently enjoying home form in the ongoing season.
The visitors will be looking towards history for inspiration in this game, as they have won games at Silver Stadium before, most notably in the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2019 campaigns.
Team News
Bullets have one fresh injury concern to their side ahead of this encounter as Dalitso Sailesi could not travel with the 22-member squad to Lilongwe due to a foot injury.
The defending champions will, for the second week running, have the services of Mike Mkwate, who rejoined the club on a short stint from Polokwane City as he awaits his international clearance in June.
Form Guide
Silver Strikers: WWWWWD (position 1 with 32 points from 14 games)
Nyasa Big Bullets: WWDWWD (position 2 with 26 points from 13 games)
Previous Meetings
2013 Season
Silver Strikers 3-1 Nyasa Big Bullets
Nyasa Big Bullets 1-1 Silver Strikers
2014 Season
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-2 Silver Strikers
Silver Strikers 1-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
2015 Season
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-0 Silver Strikers
Silver Strikers 1-2 Nyasa Big Bullets
2016 Season
Silver Strikers 1-1 Nyasa Big Bullets
Nyasa Big Bullets 2-1 Silver Strikers
2017 Season
Nyasa Big Bullets 1-1 Silver Strikers
Silver Strikers 2-1 Nyasa Big Bullets
2018 Season
Nyasa Big Bullets 1-1 Silver Strikers
Silver Strikers 0-0 Nyasa Big Bullets
2019 Season
Nyasa Big Bullets 3-1 Silver Strikers
Silver Strikers 0-1 Nyasa Big Bullets
