FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will face Silver Strikers in the Airtel Top 8 final on 9 November in Lilongwe. This comes after they defeated Kamuzu Barracks 2-0 on Sunday at Bingu National Stadium, with goals from Ephraim Kondowe and Blessings Mpokera.
Bullets capitalised on an early goal from Kondowe in the 1st minute, which is probably the fastest goal in the tournament this season, while Mpokera scored from a direct free kick in the 73rd minute to double Bullets’ lead and secure their win.
Video above is how Bullets scored their goals (Source: FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Media)
Bullets managed to dictate the play and utilised speed through Kondowe and Babatunde Adepoju, who were primarily leveraging counter-attacks.
The match saw numerous stoppages and fouls, indicating a highly physical encounter. Both sides displayed resilience, with players like Gunda and Mapemba engaging in tough challenges.
Both teams made changes at halftime, with Kamuzu Barracks introducing players like Christopher Mtambo and Sheriff Maulana for Chifundo Makawa and Matias Nyirenda, who added intensity to their attack.
In the 53rd minute, Hope Namadzunda’s free kick set up Olson Kanjira for a potential equaliser, but his header was ruled offside, keeping Bullets in control.
Bullets’ substitutions in the 81st minute also seemed geared toward preserving their lead, as they aimed to manage the game effectively toward the end.
Their coach, Calisto Pasuwa, brought in Chawanangwa Gumbo, Maxwell Phodo, and Chikumbutso Salima to replace Ephraim Kondowe, Ernest Petro, and Babatunde Adepoju.
After the final whistle, Ephraim Kondowe was awarded the Man of the Match accolade.
Bullets’ coach, Calisto Pasuwa, praised Kamuzu Barracks for providing a strong challenge, noting that they were well-organised and played effectively in dangerous areas.
Reflecting on his team’s upcoming final game, Pasuwa admitted he faces a significant task with his squad.
“The players start to panic once they’re leading, and this leads to conceding simple goals,” he remarked.
Kamuzu Barracks’ coach, Charles Kamanga, accepted the defeat, attributing it partly to fatigue.
He said his strategy was to contain Bullets in the opening minutes, but the early goal threw his team off balance.
This victory means FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, the defending champions of the tournament, have now reached four consecutive Airtel Top 8 Cup finals and five in total. This season, however, they have made it without conceding a single goal.
Bullets and Silver Strikers will meet again in the final, a repeat of the 2021 showdown in which Bullets won 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. This will be the third time the teams to clash in the tournament since its inception.
Silver Strikers made it to the finals after defeating Mighty Mukuru Wanderers 1-0, a courtesy of Binwell Katinji’s 8th minute goal under the floodlights of the Bingu National Stadium on Saturday in Lilongwe.
Since 2017, the two teams, Bullets and Silver, have each won this tournament twice.
