The cup rivalry between Silver Strikers and Blue Eagles returns to the pitch this afternoon with the two teams fighting to avoid an early exit from the Castel Challenge Cup.
Eagles and Silver are set to do battle at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe, with the policemen hoping for a repeat of their FDH Bank Cup round-of-32 performance which saw them ousting the Central Bankers from the competition.
The cops’ coach Elia Kananji has said it would be tense fixture as both teams would be looking for a win.
“We are ready for this match and we would not want to be booted at this stage. We beat Silver in the FDH Bank Cup some two months ago and we want to do it again in the Castel Cup. We are fully aware that they will come for revenge but we are also ready for them.
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“They beat us 4-2 last year in the same cup in the quarterfinals and we have not forgotten that. So we will enter the pitch with the intention of continuing from where we stopped last time. We will go flat out right from the first whistle,” Kananji said.
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In the FDH Bank Cup, Eagles won 5-4 on post-match penalties after a goalless finish in regulation time.
Silver mentor Peter Mponda said his charges were also ready.
“Our aim is to finish the match on the winning side. The players are fully aware of the importance of this game and its magnitude. We therefore cannot afford to repeat the mistakes that saw us losing the last match. Our aim is to do better this time,” Mponda said.
Silver will go into the match without striker Binwell Katinji, who is injured, while Eagles captain Shumacker Kuwali is also out on the same grounds.
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Eagles could also miss the services of defender Ian Chinyama who limped off during the team’s Chipiku Central Region Football Association League Premier Division match against Mbabvi FC.
Elsewhere, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will host Nsuwadzi FC at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
