Nyasa Big Bullets on Saturday cruised to the Airtel Top 8 final with a spring in their step following a comfortable 3-1 semi-final triumph over Silver Strikers at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

The victory has not only given The People’s Team a chance to defend the cup but also kept their treble dream very much alive, having won the TNM Super League title and the FDH Bank Cup.

Gomezgani Chirwa, Ernest Petro and Patrick Mwaungulu ensured Bullets made a third entry into the Airtel Top 8 final, where they will battle for the ultimate glory and the K17.5 million prize against winners of this afternoon’s semi-final clash between Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Blue Eagles at the same venue.

Stain Davie pulled one for Silver deep into the second half, but his effort was too little to save the Central Bankers from defeat.

Bullets coach Kalisto Pasuwa, whose side beat Silver last year 5-4 on post-match penalties after a one-all draw in regulation time, said it felt good to be in the final.

“We are happy to have reached this far and we are hopeful to win the final. I thanked my charges for putting up a wonderful performance against such tough opponents,” he said.

With the pitch wet for the better part of the match due to a heavy downpour on Satueday, both sides struggled to play their usual high-pressing football, but still, that could not dilute the anticipated entertaining nature of the encounter.

Chirwa drew first blood from an impossible angle in the 21st minute when he drove a 25-metre thunderbolt from the left flank. The shot seemed to go nowhere near the posts but the power with which the ball was hit, somehow made it meander its way into the top corner as goalkeeper Emmas Nyirenda left his line and barely watched in agony.

That was the only goal in the first half.

Bullets doubled the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Ernest Petri took full advantage of Silver’s defensive error in the box to coolly slot it into the net.

Davie narrowed the score in the 65th minute and gave Silver false hopes for a record fifth final appearance in five editions. Silver’s right winger Innocent Nhlema’s attempt bounced off the post before the ball landed on Davie’s foot for a simple tap-in.

But as the Central Bankers thought they were on the right path to restore parity, Mwaungulu restored Bullets’ lead of two in the 70th minute with a sublime finish. He beat an offside trap and advanced into the box before shaking the net.

In this afternoon’s encounter, Wanderers will be out to preserve their 100 percent record, having won both their quarter-final legs against Mafco FC with 2-0 margins.

They are also the only side among the semi-finalists yet to win the competition while Eagles are chasing their second triumph. In today’s semi-final Mighty Mukuru Wanderers date Blue Eag;les at the same venue. The final is scheduled for December 17 at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

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