It’s a final like no other, more than just a match as history beckons for defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers who clash in the Airtel Top 8 Zamadolo Season 7 final at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this afternoon.
This is a special final which reminds the football fraternity about the case of apprentice taking on master.
This afternoon, Bullets coach Kalisto Pasuwa faces his former student Peter Mponda after working with him for close to four seasons.
This is what will make the collision between the two great coaches in domestic football captivating.
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Mponda will go into the match one better than Pasuwa after guiding Silver to a 1-0 win over Bullets in a league match this season.
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The final is a repeat of the 2021 Airtel Top 8 final which Bullets triumphed 5-3 on post-match penalties after regulation time ended 1-1.
The competition guarantees the champions K30 million just in four matches with the runners-up getting K10 million.
Both Bullets and Silver have been featuring prominently in the competition’s finals in the past seven years.
The two teams have mastered the art of surmounting various obstacles to find their way to the final more than other teams.
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This afternoon, Bullets will be making their fifth Airtel Top final appearance, the most by any team whereas Silver will make their fourth appearance.
It is now guaranteed that either Bullets or Silver will write history as the first club to win the cup for the third time as they have two titles each since the competition’s inception in 2017.
This means there is a lot to play for in this final. So far, no team has ever successfully defended the title.
This will be the fifth meeting between the two sides in the competition at various stages since its inception.
The two teams also met in the Airtel Top 8 semi-final where Bullets thrashed Silver 3-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in 2022.
In 2017, Silver knocked Bullets out of the competition following 1-0 win on aggregate.
The first leg ended 1-0 in May 2017 at BNS but the second leg ended goalless at Mulanje Boma Park.
Silver were the inaugural winners in 2017 after beating Mighty Mukuru Wanderers 10-9 on post-match penalties before lifting it again following a 1-0 victory over Karonga United in 2019.
Bullets won their first Airtel Top 8 trophy in 2021 after beating Silver 5-3 on post-match penalties before a 2-1 victory over Mafco last year.
However, statistics do not favour Bullets in Airtel Top 8 finals at BNS as they have lost both in this competition to Blue Eagles (1-0) in 2018 and 5-3 to Wanderers in 2022.
This could be an opportunity for Pasuwa and his troops to break the jinx of failing to win the cup in Lilongwe.
’’We will go there with the right attitude in order for us to get a good result,’’Pasuwa said.
The Zimbabwean will be without striker Maxwell Gasten Phodo who has been ruled out due to injury.
Goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba and midfielder Wongani Lungu were also out of action last weekend due to illness but could pass a late fitness test.
However, Pasuwa has plenty of options in all departments with Nigerian Babatunde Adepoju, Ephraim Kondowe, Yankho Singo and Nickson Nyasulu all available for selection.
On the other hand, Mponda is aware that in Pasuwa, he is testing his courage against a true master of the grand occasion.
’’It is a mixed feeling. There is a little bit of pressure that we have to win this final. Bullets look solid at the back and we need to find a formula to unlock them,’’ he said.
Silver will be without rock solid Nickson Mwase who is suspended.
Duncan Nyoni and Tatenda M’balaka are also out due to injuries. But the Central Bankers need not worry as goalkeeper George Chikooka, Zebron Kalima, Chimwemwe Idana and Binwell Katinji are all available.
This far, Bullets are yet to concede in the competition having beaten Civil Service United 2-0 on aggregate in the quarterfinals before outclassing Kamuzu Barracks by a similar margin in the semi-final.
Silver defeated Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos 6-2 on aggregate in the quarterfinals before edging Wanderers 1-0 in the semis.
Chinsinsi Maonga remains the competition’s leading scorer with three goals.
Airtel Malawi Head of Branding and Public Relations Norah Chavula- Chirwa has described the seventh edition of the contest as the best ever.
’’Our current highlight is the successful launch and implementation of e-ticketing for all Top 8 matches using Airtel Money, where about 60 per cent of sales from all Top 8 matches have come from e-ticketing via Airtel Money,’’ she said.
Airtel increased the sponsorship to K180 million per season with the eight teams that participated in the competition getting K2.5 million each.
In individual prizes, the player of the tournament and the golden boot award winner will get K1.5 million each.
The competition had K100,000 earmarked for the player of the match from the quarterfinals.
ROAD TO AIRTEL TOP 8 FINAL
BULLETS
Quarterfinals-1st leg: Bullets 2 Civil 0
2nd leg: Civil 0 Bullets 0
Semi-final-Bullets 2 Kamuzu Barracks 0
SILVER
Quarterfinals-1st leg: Silver 4 Dedza 1
2nd leg: Dedza 1 Silver 2
Semi-final-Wanderers 0 Silver 1
