FCB Nyasa Big Bullets became the first team to win the Airtel Top 8 cup for a third time after defeating Silver Strikers 1-0 at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.
Ernest Petro’s stunning header against the stubborn Central Bankers saw the Malawi champions setting a new record for winning a competition without conceding a goal.
9 November 2024 will also remain one of the days to remember for Kalisto Pasuwa’s men, who endured a rough start to a campaign they hoped to defend the quadruple we won last season.
After surrendering the FDH Bank Cup to Blue Eagles in September, Bullets had to come out to protect the Airtel Top 8 trophy during our second cup final this year.
By winning the Airtel Malawi-sponsored silverware at the weekend, we also became the most successful team in the competition since its commencement seven years ago.
But how has our journey been in this competition? We look at our Airtel Top 8 Cup success in numbers.
2017 Edition
The club’s maiden Airtel Top 8 Cup voyage was in 2017 when we faced this year’s finalists in a two-legged quarterfinal tie.
Our first match against the Central Bankers was played in Lilongwe at the BNS. Victor Limbani’s strike won the game for the Area 47 side ahead of the return leg, which was played at Mulanje Park Stadium after the closure of Kamuzu Stadium.
The visitors defended their slender lead in the return leg to advance to the semifinals of the competition. After beating Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the final, Silver became the first team to win the cup.
2018 Edition
In the second coming of the Airtel Top 8, Bullets came with a bang as we faced Moyale Barracks in the two-legged quarterfinals. The first leg was played at Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo. Super substitute Patrick Phiri scored late to give us a one-goal advantage before the second leg in Mzuzu, where we defended the first-leg goal to book a place in the semis where we played Mighty Mukuru Wanderers.
The first Blantyre derby in the Airtel Top 8 was played at the BNS. The first half ended 0-0, and then two quick second-half strikes from Chiukepo Msowoya and Bright Munthali secured the important win for us to proceed to the final of the cup for the first time.
The Area 30 police side, Blue Eagles, were our final opponents. It was a tough outing for The People’s Team at the Bingu National Stadium. A controversial last-minute penalty kick was awarded to the opposition by referee Misheck Juba, and Stuart Mbunge stepped up to break the hearts of the red and white fans.
The decision to award the Eagles a spot-kick caused fans to riot, and Bullets were banned from competing in the third edition of the competition in 2019 when Silver Strikers won it for a second time after beating Karonga United 1-0.
2019 Edition
Following our ban due to the riots that ensued at the BNS the previous year, we missed the 2019 Airtel Top 8 competition. This was the only time we had not taken part in a domestic competition in over three decades.
2020/21 Edition
The People’s Team returned to the competition in the 2020/21 edition, the season we won it for the first time after beating Silver Strikers 5-4 on penalties at the Kamuzu Stadium. The regulation time ended 1-1.
Kalisto Pasuwa’s men had to overcome Mafco FC 5-2 in the two-legged quarterfinal matches and Wanderers 4-1 to reach the final for the second time.
2022 Edition
The Malawi champions failed to defend the cup in the 2022 season.
We started our title defence that year with Karonga United, and we hammered the Northern Region side 8-1 on aggregate in the two-legged quarterfinals. Then, we defeated Silver Strikers 3-1 in the semis to book our third Airtel Top 8 final spot.
Our final against Wanderers was decided through post-match penalties, and our rivals clinched their first Airtel Top 8 trophy with a 5-4 shootout triumph. Kesten Simbi failed to convert his spot-kick, denying us a chance to complete our first-ever treble after we had already won the TNM Super League and the FDH Bank Cup.
2023 Edition
The 2023 final in Blantyre provided Bullets with another piece of silverware after beating Mafco FC 2-1.
Before the final, we eliminated Civil Service United 3-2 on aggregate in the two-legged quarterfinal affair, then dumped Blue Eagles out of the competition with the same goal margin at the BNS, reaching our fourth Airtel Top 8 final.
Lanjesi Nkhoma’s brace against Mafco at the Kamuzu Stadium completed our historical quadruple in the 2023 season after Pasuwa’s side had already secured the Castel Challenge Cup, the TNM Super League, and the FDH Bank Cup.
2024 Edition
In the just-concluded edition, Bullets faced Civil again in the quarterfinals. We won the first leg 2-0 at Kamuzu Stadium before the return leg away at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe, where the tie ended scoreless. The People’s Team booked a place in the semis with a two-nil aggregate win.
In the last four, Pasuwa’s men eliminated Kamuzu Barracks 2-0 at the Bingu National Stadium to set up a final showdown against our former assistant coach, Peter Mponda’s side.
A 71st-minute strike from Petro, who was set up by Alick Lungu’s charming cross onto the back post, was enough to secure our third Airtel Top 8 Cup title.
Games we have played in this competition
Since its launch in the 2017 season, The People’s Team has played 22 Airtel Top 8 matches, from which we have scored 37 goals and conceded 15.
Babatunde Adepoju is the highest scorer in Airtel Top 8 with nine goals. The Nigerian won the 2021 Golden Boot with eight goals and scored a single goal in the 2022 edition.
Bullets are also the highest-scoring team in the competition, seconded by Silver Strikers with 22 goals.
In total, we have advanced to the final of this cup five times, winning it thrice and losing it twice.
The champions have produced two Golden Boot winners: Babatunde Adepoju, who won it in the 2021 season, and Lanjesi Nkhoma, who was a joint top scorer with Chiukepo Msowoya and Clement Nyondo in the 2022 season, before winning it again with three goals in the 2023 season.