Battle lines drawn in Airtel Top 8 final

For over 50 years, the match between rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers has been a marquee event on the domestic scene, dividing households and putting friendships on hold.

And this afternoon’s Airtel Top 8 final at Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Lilongwe will not be any different.

Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers battling it out in previous encounter

At stake is the K17.5 million winner’s purse.

There has been so much hype and razzmatazz in the countdown to the most sought-after fixture in the country.

Statistics don’t lie and much as this is tipped to be a tight-throat affair, the odds are in the People’s Team favour, having this season imposed themselves totally on their rivals.

Bullets, who are the defending champions, have beaten Wanderers twice and drawn once.

They will also be out to complete a treble, having won the TNM Super League and the FDH Bank Cup.

But such is the beauty of football that it does not always go according to script.

Bullets have only lost once in 38 domestic competitive fixtures and will be making a third final appearance in the five editions of Zamadolo Izi.

On the other hand, the Nomads, who brag about being cup specialists, have never laid their hands on the Airtel Top 8 Cup, since losing the inaugural 2017 final on post-match penalties to Silver Strikers.

They will be hoping that the gods of football will smile on them in their second final appearance.

Wanderers have not won any silverware since 2018 when they won the now defunct Fisd Challenge Cup and they will be out to exorcise that ghost and join the pantheon of greats to have lifted this silverware.

The last time the two teams met at BNS  was in September this year when  Bullets thrashed the Nomads 4-0 in the semis of the FDH Bank Cup.

Wanderers last beat Bullets in a cup final in 2015 in the Carlsberg Cup.

Both teams were an oasis of calm as they went through their final paces yesterday at BNS.

It will also be a battle of wits between two foreign coaches, Bullets’ Zimbabwean gaffer Kallisto Pasuwa and Nomads’ British mentor Mark Harrison.

In a pre-match interview, Bullets assistant coach Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda  said they expect the Nomads to come hard on them.

He said: “It’s a very big game and we want to finish on a good note, as it would be a timely reward for our fans who have supported us all season.”

On whether they are under pressure, the former Bullets captain said: “If I say we do not have pressure then I will be lying, but it’s how you handle the pressure that matters.”

He also brushed off suggestions that they have an upper hand based on their dominance.

Said Mponda: “Games between Wanderers and Bullets have no favourites, in the end it’s about who wants it most and having a proper game plan.

“They have a new coach who has been doing well. He hasn’t lost a game yet.

“Having said that, the boys appear hungry and they are buzzing.”

On the other hand, Harrison, who has won all the five games since taking charge, said the odds are tipped in Bullets’ favour.

He said: “They have been winning everything and it’s not going to be an easy game by any means, but that doesn’t mean we won’t give a fight.

“We haven’t won a trophy in the last four years, but we are confident, why shouldn’t we?

“Our preparations have been good. We are not going to sit back and try to steal the game. We will push.”

Bullets’ midfield kingpin Chimwemwe Idana is tipped to orchestrate attacks aided by their wonderkid Patrick Mwaungulu’s scintillating play to keep the supply lines open for strikers Babatunde Adepoju, Lanjesi Nkhoma and Hassan Kajoke.

Wing defenders Precious Sambani and Gomezgani Chirwa have also been at the hub of Bullets’ best moves.

However, they will be without Anthony Mfune  due to an injury while Misheck Selemani is a doubtful starter.

In the blue and white side of town, the hopes are on veteran striker Chiukepo Msowoya, who crossed the great divide after being released by Bullets.

The Nomads’ arsenal also includes Yamikani Chester, Felix Zulu, Vincent Nyangulu and Misheck Botomani.

Bullets qualified for the final after booting out Karonga United 8-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals before seeing off Silver Strikers 3-1 in the semis while the Nomads kicked out Mafco FC 4-0 on aggregate and Blue Eagles 2-0. n

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