When the situation is tough and when the time comes, a man who can turn the tide and win the situation comes.
Probably, this idiom could be the case as Silver Strikers and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers face-off in the 2024 Zamadolo Airtel Top 8 semi-final at Bingu National Stadium this evening.
It is a battle so unique whose winner will book a spot in the final of the seventh edition of the Airtel Top 8 and will face either defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets or Kamuzu Barracks who face-off in another semi-final at the same venue.
This is a highly anticipated clash between the two teams who are also fighting for the league championship this season as they are separated by seven points with Silver on top with 54 points whereas Wanderers have 47 with six matches left.
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Both Silver and Wanderers have what it takes to reach the final.
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But it is written in the stars that one of them will miss the ticket to the final slated for next week at the same venue.
Since the introduction of the Airtel Top 8 in 2017, past battles did not favour Wanderers having lost all previous meetings against Silver.
Wanderers and Silver met in the inaugural final of the Airtel Top 8 but the Central Bankers triumphed 10-9 on post-match penalties after a goal-less draw in regulation time.
Again, the two teams were drawn together in the quarterfinals of the 2019 edition but Silver won both legs by 1-0 margins.
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In 2023, Silver advanced to the semi-finals by a 4-0 goal margin through a boardroom decision after Wanderers lost home and away matches after Football Association of Malawi (Fam) threw out their appeal on both abandoned and boycotted matches.
Silver will hope to maintain their dominance over Wanderers in the competition but the Lali-Lubani side will also hope to exact revenge having played second fiddle.
In cup matches, Wanderers last defeated Silver 3-2 in the 2019 Fisd Challenge Cup final at BNS.
This season, Silver defeated Wanderers 2-0 in a league match at Silver Stadium.
On their way to the semi-finals, Silver thumped Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos 6-2 on aggregate whereas Wanderers beat Bangwe All Stars 4-2 on post-match penalties after the two teams were tied at 1-1 on aggregate.
Both Wanderers and Silver are in the hunt for the treble this season.
Under the tutelage of Peter Mponda, Silver have been a hard nut to crack this season as they have only lost one game in the FDH Bank Cup round of 32 to Blue Eagles 5-3 on post-match penalties.
On the other hand, Wanderers have been inconsistent following six defeats in all competitions this season.
Mponda will likely maintain George Chikooka between the sticks with Maxwell Paipi, Nickson Mwase and MacDonald Lameck providing cover.
The combination of Chikondi Kamanga, Chimwemwe Idana, Zebron Kalima and Uchizi Vunga has caused plenty of problems to teams this season.
Upfront, Mponda has several options namely Friday Osagie, Stain Davie, Binwell Katinji and Charles Chipala.
Wanderers coach Meck Mwase knows that the blue side of town desperately need a win in this epic encounter.
Mwase believes his charges can overcome the hurdle in front of them.
“We are expecting a very tough game because both teams want to play in the final. Silver have been doing well in the league but this is a different game,” Mwase said.
Goalkeeper William Thole could return to the starting line-up after he was rested in a 2-1 win over Chitipa United on Wednesday.
Captain Lawrence Chaziya will lead defence alongside Ahmed Kung’unde and Timothy Silwimba.
Blessings Singini, Wisdom Mpinganjira, Isaac Kaliati, Gaddie Chirwa and Samar Tanjong can cause plenty of problems on a good day.
So far, Bullets and Silver are the only teams that won the Airtel Top 8 twice each. Bullets won it in 2021 and 2023 whereas Silver won it in 2017 and 2019.
Eagles and Wanderers won the competition in 2018 and 2022 respectively.
Sponsored to the tune of K180 million per year, the champions will get K30 million plus a trophy up from K17.5 million whereas the runners-up will pocket K10 million from K7.5 million.
