FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will seek to defend the Airtel Top 8 Cup as The People’s Team takes on Silver Strikers in the final at the Bingu National Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Capital City is expected to come alive as the two titans battle for the second piece of silverware as the 2024 season nears its end.
It’s a much-anticipated match-up. The defending champions eye their second triumph in the competition in four years, while the Central Bankers will look to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2019.
FORM GUIDE
Kalisto Pasuwa’s men are unbeaten in their last ten games across all competitions. The last time Bullets lost a match was a 1-0 home defeat against Bangwe All Stars in the TNM Super League in September. Since then, we have defeated Chitipa United, Creck Sporting Club, Baka City, Mafco, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Mighty Tigers in the league.
Maule also hammered Kumanda All Stars 22-1 in the Castel Challenge Cup Round of 64, drew 0-0 with Civil Service United in the second quarterfinal leg of the Airtel top 8 and the recent 2-0 win over Kamuzu Barracks to advance to the final of this competition.
In other league matches, Bullets drew 0-0 away to Mzuzu City Hammers, recorded a 1-all draw against Dedza Dynamos, won 2-1 against Wanderers, and beat Tigers 3-0.
The Central Bankers drew two matches against Creck and Civil in the league and won 2-1 in the Airtel Top 8 second quarter-final victory over Dedza. They also defeated Mzuzu City Hammers 2-0 in the league before eliminating Wanderers from the Airtel Top 8.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
It’s the second Airtel Top 8 Cup final meeting between the two teams and the fifth overall meeting in this competition since its launch in 2017.
The two teams first met in the competition’s inaugural year. They met in the quarter-finals, where Silver won the first leg 1-0 before forcing Bullets to a goalless draw to progress to the semifinals.
The third meeting was in the 2021 season. It was the cup final played at Kamuzu Stadium, and the People’s Team beat the Central Bankers 5-4 on penalties after the normal time ended 1-1.
In the 2022 edition, the two teams met again at Kamuzu Stadium. It was a semifinal match, and the winner was bound to face Wanderers. Bullets showed the Area 47 side no mercy by beating them 3-1 to advance to the cup final, where we lost to the Nomads, 5-4 on penalties.
This is Bullets’ fourth consecutive final appearance in this competition, but it is our fifth time playing in the final overall.
On the other hand, the Silver Strikers have appeared three times in the final. They were the first team to win the cup in its inaugural year, 2017. They beat Wanderers 10-9 on penalties.
The Bankers again won the cup in 2019 after defeating Karonga United 1-0. However, in the 2021 season, they lost 5-4 to Bullets.
Road to the final
Pasuwa’s charges had to overcome a very resilient Civil Service United in the two-legged quarterfinals. The first leg ended 2-0 in favour of the defending champions, who frustrated the opponents in the return leg to progress to the last four.
In the semis, Bullets defeated Kamuzu Barracks 2-0 last Sunday to set up this massive showdown.
Peter Mponda’s men were 6-2 aggregate winners over Dedza Dynamos in the two quarterfinal matches. The first leg ended 4-1 before completing a double with a hard-fought 2-1 win to set up a semifinal showdown with Wanderers.
In the semis, a lone strike from Binwell Katinji was enough to send Mponda’s men to the final.
TEAM NEWS
Pasuwa has every player available for selection except Mike Mkwate, who is still under the medical doctors’ supervision, and Antony Mfune, who has been on the sidelines for several months due to injury.
Maxwell Phodo, who suffered a minor concussion on Wednesday in our 3-0 win over Mighty Tigers in the TNM Super League, is fit and available for selection.
Richard Chimbamba and Wongani Lungu, who missed Wednesday’s game due to flu, trained with the team ahead of the final.
KICK-OFF TIME AND HOW TO WATCH THE MATCH
The 2024 Airtel Top 8 final at the Bingu National Stadium will kick off at 15h00.
You can catch all the action live on Mpira TV and MBC TV. It will also be streamed on FIFA+. You can also catch all the match updates on our Facebook and X (Twitter) channels.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Mayamiko Kanjere
Assistant Referee 1: Bernadettar Kwimbira
Assistant Referee 2: Pondamali Tembo
Fourth Official: Eness Gumbo
Match Commissioner: Goodall Chinjoka
