FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will launch their Airtel Top 8 title defence against tournament rookies Creck Sporting Club on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, a cup-opening fixture.
Creck are hoping to pull a shocker by stunning Bullets, who became the first club to defend the title last season and the only team to win it three times.
This quarter-final first leg will be followed by the return leg on April 27 at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue.
Contrasting paths
Bullets finished third in the 2024 Super League campaign with 55 points and scored 42 goals while Lilongwe-based Creck secured sixth place in their debut top-flight season to qualify for the tournament. Creck obtained 42 points, scoring 44 goals.
Creck will face Bullets again at the same venue just four days later in a league fixture.
Head-to-Head: New rivals, familiar ground
This will be only the third meeting between the two sides across all competitions and their first encounter in a cup match.
In the 2024 league season, the two sides drew 1-1 in the first round at Civo Stadium before Bullets edged Creck 3-2 in the reverse fixture at Kamuzu Stadium.
They also clashed in the pre-season assignments in the Sapitwa 4 Bonanza, where Bullets emerged 1-0 winners, thanks to Maxwell Phodo’s effort.
However, Kamuzu Stadium has not been kind to Creck, who have suffered multiple defeats at the venue, including two losses to Mighty Wanderers in the league and Castel Challenge Cup and a 1-0 defeat to Mighty Tigers in the league.
Notably, Wanderers thrashed them in the league 3-0 in April last year and later eliminated them 4-1 via penalties in the Castel Cup after a 1-1 draw.
Their league campaign got off to a shaky start with a 4-1 loss to Dedza Dynamos, while Bullets opened with a statement 1-0 away win over reigning champions Silver Strikers.
Bullets’ cup success
Bullets have been the most consistent and successful team in Airtel Top 8 history, having reached every final since 2018 except in the inaugural 2017 edition and in 2019, where they did not participate because of the Football Association of Malawi ban due to violence that occurred in the 2018 final against Blue Eagles.
They lost the 2018 final 1-0 to Blue Eagles, missed the 2020 season due to COVID-19, and lifted the trophy in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
In the most recent edition, they beat Silver 1-0 in the final, with Ernest Petro scoring the decisive header in the 71st minute at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
That campaign also saw Bullets midfielder, Yankho Singo, being named Player of the Tournament while goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba was nominated after keeping three clean sheets in three games.
Interestingly, Bullets head coach Peter Mponda was on the opposing bench with Silver when the People’s Team’ lifted their third Top 8 title.
In a pre-match interview, Bullets’ First Assistant Coach Gilbert Chirwa said the team is ready to defend the title.
“It is a big game. Creck are ambitious and eager to win something. It will not be easy,” Chirwa said.
Creck’s cup dream
This marks Creck Sporting Club’s first quarter-final appearance in a major competition since earning promotion to the top division two years ago.
It is noteworthy that under the leadership of Coach Joseph Kamwendo, they have struggled in previous cup runs—losing in the round of 16 to Wanderers (Castel Challenge Cup) and Baka City (FDH Bank Cup).
Despite a slow start to the season, Kamwendo remains confident.
“We know we are underdogs, and Bullets will come hard on us. But we’re not under pressure—cup games can go either way,” Kamwendo said.
Other quarter-final action
The second quarter-final first leg will take place on April 19, when Mighty Wanderers host Karonga United at Kamuzu Stadium.
The return leg is scheduled for April 26 at Karonga Stadium.
Mzuzu City Hammers will face Civil Service United on April 20 in Mzuzu, with the reverse fixture scheduled for May 18 at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Lilongwe.
Defending Super League champions and last year’s losing finalists, Silver Strikers, will host Moyale Barracks on April 21 at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe.
The return leg will take place in Mzuzu on May 17.
Winners from the two-legged quarterfinals will progress to the semifinals, which are set for June 28 and 29.
The final is slated for July 12.
Only Bullets, Wanderers, and Silver have featured in all seven editions of the competition.
Season 7 participants such as relegated and now-defunct Bangwe All Stars, Dedza Dynamos, Kamuzu Barracks, and Chitipa United will not take part in this year’s Top 8 after finishing outside the Super League’s top eight positions.
This year’s champion will walk away with K35 million.
The tournament is sponsored by Airtel Malawi, which committed K655 million over three years.
By Praise Majawa
