It is a case of a master versus apprentice as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Coach Kalisto Pasuwa, the master faces his student Silver Strikers coach Peter Mponda for the first time.
The two sides clash in the 2024 NBS Bank Charity Shield at Bingu National Stadium this afternoon.
For more than two years, Pasuwa and Mponda sat in the same dugout but this afternoon they will turn foes.
This is the curtain-raiser of the 2024 football season as the TNM Super League is set to kick off next weekend.
This afternoon, the apprentice is back in domestic football after spending a season at South African side Black Leopards.
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In the absence of the Mponda, the Pasuwa wrote his own piece of history when he swept all the trophies in domestic football.
In all fairness, there is a lot to play for in this match between the two sides.
For Bullets, they have dominated the Charity Shield since 2016 by winning it a record six times.
Silver have a score to settle after they lost 4-2 on post-match penalties in the final of the Castel Challenge Cup at the same venue.
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The two sides also met in the 2022 Charity Shield in which Bullets triumphed 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium. In 2018, they also met and Bullets thrashed Silver 3-0.
Since he arrived in Malawi in 2018, Pasuwa has created an aura of invincibility in a season curtain-raiser.
But this afternoon’s match gives Mponda a perfect opportunity to turn the tables against Bullets. Both teams have bolstered their respective squads ahead of the season which promises fireworks.
Bullets have signed Lloyd Aaron from Civil Service United, goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu from Mighty Tigers, Collin Mujuru (free agent), Mathews Masamba (free agent) and Babatunde Adepoju on loan from Venda FC in South Africa.
Sounding calm, Pasuwa kept his game plan under wraps saying his side was ready for the match.
“I do not normally look on opposition; of course we can have tactical awareness of countering them but we prepare our team to be ready. You cannot prepare opposition on what you are going to do but they will plan for us,” Pasuwa said.
In this match, Bullets will miss Clever Mkungula, Mike Mkwate, Stanley Biliati, Alick Lungu and Frank Willard due to injuries.
On the part of Silver, they have signed Christopher Gototo, Macdonald Lameck (both from Blue Eagles), Charles Chipala from Dedza Dynamos, goalkeeper George Chigooka from Chitipa United, Binwell Katinji from Civil and Paul Kamsungwi (free agent).
After a goal-less draw in a Lilongwe derby at Champion Stadium, Mponda said the team was ready to roll.
“I am satisfied with my boys in pre-season games. They were good both on and off the ball. I think, the team is ready for the season,’’ Mponda said.
Mponda will be without Tatenda M’ Balaka due to injury but the rest of the players are available for selection.
Bullets and Silver shared fortunes in the TNM Super League last season as both matches ended in 1-1 stalemates.
Proceeds of this year’s match will be used to construct sanitary facilities at a school in Central Region.
NBS Bank pls doubled this year’s sponsorship to K40 million.
