It’s a classic case of master versus apprentice as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Peter Mponda face his former assistant, Peter Mgangira, now at the helm of Silver Strikers, in the 2025 Airtel Top 8 Zamadolo Season 8 final at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this Sunday.
Last season, the two tacticians shared the same dugout at Silver, where Mponda led the Central Bankers to their first Super League title in 11 years.
Under his guidance, Silver finished the season with 67 points — a campaign that featured 19 wins, 10 draws, and only one loss.
They scored a league-high 58 goals while conceding the fewest, just 17, earning Mponda the 2024 Coach of the Season accolade.
However, the Airtel Top 8 proved elusive for Mponda last year, as he lost 1-0 in the final to Bullets, his current team, courtesy of a 71st-minute header by Ernest Petro.
Now Mponda returns to the Airtel Top 8 final with a new mission, guiding Bullets — who finished third last season under Kalisto Pasuwa with 55 points — in search of back-to-back titles.
Mponda said all players are available for the showdown except left-back Crispin Mapemba who is still nursing an injury.
“Silver are a good team, my boys know we’re facing my former side and they’re good. My charges are ready to defend the final. The players know the importance of this game. I want to finish the game in 90 minutes, not go into penalties. I’m facing my former club, yes, a good squad, but we can do it,” said Mponda.
For Mgangira, this match marks his cup game final debut as head coach, having previously served as an assistant to Mponda, Pieter de Jongh and Daniel Kabwe, as well as holding various technical roles at Silver.
The Silver gaffer confirmed that Silver Strikers will be without Captain Chikondi Kamanga, Precious Sambani, and the tournaments’ leading goal scorer Festus Duwe among others.
“The team is ready for the final though we have a few injuries. Regardless of the results against Bullets in the past games, we are confident of getting a result, come Sunday.
We feel this is our opportunity to change the narrative and the players know the importance of this match, there are medals and prize money at stake. The good thing is the majority of the players have what it takes to take the game home,” said Mgangira.
The final marks the third time Bullets and Silver meet at this stage of the competition and the sixth overall Airtel Top 8 encounter between the two giants.
History favours the People’s Team, who have won all three finals and a semifinal clash against the Bankers.
Silver’s only win against Bullets in the competition came back in the 2017 quarterfinals — the inaugural edition.
To reach this year’s final, Silver swept past Moyale Barracks 4-1 on aggregate in the quarters before edging city rivals Civil Service United 2-1 in the semifinal.
Bullets edged out Creck Sporting Club 1-0 over two legs before a hard-fought 2-1 win over Karonga United in the last four.
Both teams boast impressive Airtel Top 8 records
Bullets are the tournament’s most successful club with three titles (2021, 2023 and 2024) while Silver have lifted the trophy twice (2017 and 2019). Mighty Wanderers (2022) and Blue Eagles (2018) have each won it once.
FIFA Referee Godfrey Nkhakananga will handle the final, assisted by Pondamali Tembo from Blantyre and Lameck Phiri from Mzuzu, while Rose Zimba has been named as the fourth official.
Golden Boot Race
The Central Bankers forward Duwe leads the 2025 Airtel Top 8 Golden Boot race with three goals and is on course to claim the Zamadolo Golden Boot unless one of his six nearest rivals nets a hat-trick in Sunday’s final.
Duwe’s closest challengers — teammates Stain Davie, Nickson Mwase, and Emmanuel Allan, along with Bullets trio Maxwell Gasten Phodo, Hassan Kajoke, and Chikumbutso Salima — all have a goal apiece.
Karonga United’s Alfred Chizinga is also on one goal but is no longer in contention following his side’s semifinal exit.
Historically, the Golden Boot has gone to low-scoring players, with only Bullets striker Babatunde Adepoju reaching notable tallies — netting eight and nine goals in the 2021 and 2022 editions respectively.
In contrast, the inaugural 2017 and the recent 2024 editions saw the top scorers, Khumbo Ng’ambi and Chinsinsi Maonga respectively, win the accolade with just three goals.
Head-to-Head History
The rivalry between Bullets and Silver in the Airtel Top 8 stretches back to 2017.
Silver won their first-ever meeting in the quarterfinals with a 1-0 win before holding Bullets to a goalless draw to progress.
Since then, Bullets have dominated the matchups.
In 2021, Bullets edged Silver 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final at Kamuzu Stadium. In 2022, they thumped the Bankers 3-1 in the semifinal but went on to lose the final to Wanderers on penalties.
This will be Bullets’ fifth consecutive Airtel Top 8 final appearance and sixth overall.
Silver are making their fifth final appearance, having won the first edition in 2017 after beating Wanderers 10-9 on penalties, and claiming their second crown in 2019 with a narrow 1-0 win over Karonga United.
Current Form & Stakes
Silver, the reigning Super league champions are currently third in the League with 20 points, while Bullets sit second with 27 points.
Both teams have featured in all eight editions of the Airtel Top 8 since its inception.
Sunday’s final also doubles as the first cup final of the 2025/26 football season in Malawi.
At stake is not just bragging rights but a lucrative K35 million prize for the winner, while the runners-up will walk away with K12 million.
As the Zamadolo final approaches, all eyes will be on Bingu National Stadium — where legacies will be cemented and a new chapter in this rivalry will be written.
By Praise Majawa
