Silver Strikers will be looking to utilise home ground advantage when they host Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos in the first leg of the Airtel Top 8 quarterfinals at Silver Stadium this afternoon.
The two teams are meeting for the second time this season after a 1-1 stalemate in the league.
However, Silver have a score to settle against Dedza after they were eliminated from the 2022 FDH Bank Cup following a 5-4 loss on post-match penalties at Dedza Stadium.
On top of that, Dedza beat Silver 1-0 in a second round league match last season at Champion Stadium in Mponela, Dowa.
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But the first round match ended goal-less at Dedza Stadium.
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Smarting from two 1-1 stalemates against Chitipa United and Moyale Barracks in the league, the Central Bankers seek to return to winning ways.
However, Silver Coach Peter Mponda admitted that it would not be a stroll in the pack to beat Dedza this afternoon.
“It is a very important game. Dedza are playing away and I have a strong feeling that they will come with a defensive approach because they know it is a first match and they have a return match at their home. We are prepared for that. We have players who can unlock their defence if they come with a defensive approach,” Mponda said.
Mponda believes his charges can bury the tie in the first leg if they get a win with a big margin.
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“It is a different ball game. It is only three games you are in the final unlike in the league; you have to play 30 games to win the league.
“We know the importance of using home ground advantage. It is a two legged match; so, we need to win at home convincingly,” Mponda said.
Dedza Coach Andrew Bunya was confident of getting a positive result against Silver.
“We expect tough opponents as usual but we are determined to upset them. We know Silver have a lot of quality and we also have quality,” Bunya said.
Bunya said he had done a lot of homework ahead of the tie.
“Playing away is an advantage to us, too, but we need to get a good result so that we have an easy return leg,” Bunya said.
Dedza will host Silver at Dedza Stadium in the second leg on October 20.
