FCB Nyasa Big Bullets are in the Capital City for the opening fixture of the 2025 TNM Super League campaign against the reigning champions Silver Strikers on Saturday at the Bingu National Stadium.
With three valuable points up for grabs, the match could lay the groundwork for a promising season ahead.
The People’s Team, long a powerhouse in Malawian football, saw their dominance waver last season, surrendering three of the four titles they had secured in 2023 during Kalisto Pasuwa’s tenure.
However, the arrival of Peter Mponda, who led Silver Strikers to their first league title in a decade, has renewed hope among Bullets supporters that their team can reclaim supremacy. To do so, they will need to overcome a spirited Silver side fresh from celebrating their first Charity Shield triumph just a week ago.
Mponda will be aiming to make a bold statement of intent by securing a win over the Central Bankers, signaling Bullets’ ambitions for the season.
Meanwhile, the hosts are equally determined to begin their title defense in style, building on the momentum that saw them break their long championship drought last season. Their campaign was marked by emphatic wins over both Bullets and Mighty Wanderers, underscoring their determination to dethrone a team that had claimed the league title five consecutive seasons.
With Mponda now at the helm of Bullets after switching allegiances, Saturday’s match carries added drama, promising to be a grudge match. The victor will strike the first blow in the 2025 league season and probably have the last laugh as the quest for championship glory begins.
The last time Bullets fell to Silver in league action was on June 2, 2024, at Kamuzu Stadium, where a stoppage-time goal from substitute Chinsisi Maonga ended our impressive three-year unbeaten home record.
Despite the short off-season, it’s the Central Bankers who have undergone significant changes, particularly in their coaching staff. Remarkably, Silver have switched head coaches in each of the last four seasons, with Daniel Kabwe, Leo Mpulura, Peter De Jhong, and most recently, Peter Mponda holding the role. In contrast, Bullets are seeing a new era themselves, with Mponda replacing Pasuwa after eight years of stability.
In terms of squad dynamics, Silver Strikers have retained their title-winning lineup intact. Conversely, Bullets have lost eight players, some released and others departing after their contracts expired. In response, Mponda has reinforced his squad with five new defenders, while Silver have added three fresh faces ahead of the new campaign.
Head-to-Head
The rivalry between these two teams has been fierce. In our last 22 league encounters since 2013, Bullets have emerged victorious eight times, while Silver have claimed four wins, with draws accounting for the remaining matches.
In the 2023 season, the two teams shared the spoils, starting with a 1-1 draw during the league opener at BNS and concluding with another stalemate in Blantyre, where Silver came from behind to level the score in the final match of the season.
2022 saw Bullets dominate with a 3-1 win at Kamuzu Stadium, though Silver held us to a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture at BNS. In the 2020/21 season, both sides claimed three points apiece, with Silver snatching a late 1-0 win at Silver Stadium before Bullets responded with a 2-1 victory at Kamuzu Stadium, thanks to goals from Chimwemwe Idana (now at the Area 47 side), and Precious Phiri.
In the 2019 season, Bullets completed a double over Silver, winning 3-1 and 1-0 in their two encounters. The teams drew both matches in 2018, with the first leg ending 1-1 and the second goalless. However, Silver had the upper hand in 2017, holding Bullets to a 1-1 draw at Kamuzu Stadium before winning 2-1 at Silver Stadium. Bullets bounced back in 2016, taking four points from Silver with a 1-1 draw in Lilongwe and a 2-1 home victory at Kamuzu Stadium.
Back in 2015, Bullets asserted their dominance with two wins over the Bankers, defeating them 2-0 at Kamuzu Stadium and 2-1 at Silver Stadium. Last season, however, Silver showed their strength by collecting four points out of six, winning 1-0 at Kamuzu and holding Bullets to a 0-0 draw at Silver Stadium.
Team News
With a 24-man squad travelling to Lilongwe, Bullets will be without midfielder Peter Banda and wingback Chrispin Mapemba, both sidelined with long-term injuries. Striker Hassan Kajoke is also not part of Mponda’s team to face the Central Bankers.
However, there’s some positive news as Frank Willard has travelled with the team after the defending midfielder resumed training following his recovery from a foot injury earlier in the week.
Mponda’s Pre-match Interview
“Every three points is the same. Whether we get them against Karonga United or Songwe United, points are the same. Yes, it’s a launch [match], and we want to start on a high. We know Silver Strikers’ strengths, and we also know their weaknesses. We will try to neutralise them and capitalise on their shortfalls, but it’s a big game.
“I don’t think my decision to switch to Bullets will have any impact at all. We can drop points tomorrow and still win the league. The most important thing to do is to react if we end up on the losing side. But I am comfortable with my team because of how we have been preparing, and we will do whatever it takes to get the three points.
“It’s not only a victory that is needed. We need a performance. We have been complaining about the team being weak after losing so many players even though we replaced them. All I want from the boys is a performance that will give me hope.”
On Kajoke’s Exclusion
“I haven’t travelled with Hassan Kajoke because, from the look of things, he has personal issues, so I have left him home so that he can work on his issues and come back to the team with more energy. We all know what is capable of, but until he sorts himself out, then there is nothing we can do apart from giving him the time to fix himself.”
Match Officials
Easter Zimba has been assigned to take charge of the 2025 TNM Super League opener between Silver Strikers and Bullets at the Bingu National Stadium.
Referee: Easter Zimba
Assistant Ref: Clemence Kanduku
Assistant Ref: Yohane Chiutika
Fourth Official: Godfrey Nkhakananga
Match Assessor: Martha Nyekanyeka
