The Airtel Top 8 Season 7 gets underway this afternoon as defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets lock horns with Civil Service United in the quarterfinal first leg at Kamuzu Stadium.
This is a repeat of last year’s quarterfinal where Bullets progressed to the semifinal after a 3-2 aggregate win . The Peoples’ Team defeated Civil 2-0 at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe but lost the return leg 2-1 at Kamuzu Stadium.
This is the third meeting between the two sides in all competitions this season.
Bullets beat Civil 1-0 in the quarterfinal of the FDH Bank Cup but drew 1-1 in the league match at the same venue.
Bullets assistant coach Mike Ngore said the players are prepared to make amends against Civil following a 3-2 loss to Blue Eagles in the FDH Bank Cup final.
’’We understand what happened in the FDH Cup final. Losing is part of the game, we accepted and we have moved on. We believe our preparations have gone on very well and we are ready.
’’They say a man is judged not by the way he stays down after falling but by the way he picks himself up. So, we are ready to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves and go again,’’ said Ngore.
Civil coach Abasi Makawa said the boys are geared and determined to start the Airtel Top 8 on a high note.
’’We have done our homework well and we believe we will get a result we want. We know Bullets are a hard nut to crash especially at Kamuzu Stadium but we have a good plan to beat them. Morale is high in our camp,’’ said Makawa.
Civil will host Bullets in the return leg on September 29 at Civo Stadium. In other quarterfinals, 2022 winners Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will host Bangwe All Stars at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday while Chitipa United will face Kamuzu Barracks at Karonga Ground.
The quarterfinals first leg phase will wind up on Wednesday September 18, with 2017 and 2019 winners Silver Strikers hosting Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos at Silver Stadium.
Bangwe will host Wanderers at Mpira Stadium in the second leg on September 28 while KB will host Chitipa at Civo Stadium on October 19. Dedza will host Silver in the return leg on October 20 at Dedza Stadium.
The winners between Bullets and Civil will face either Chitipa or KB in the semi-finals slated for October 26. In another semi-final, the winners between Wanderers and Bangwe will face the winners between Silver and Dedza on October 27. The venues for semi-finals are yet to be confirmed.
The final is scheduled for November 3 at a venue yet to be decided. The 2024 edition is sponsored to the tune of K180 million. This year’s champions will pocket K30 million up from K17 million while the runners-up will get K10 million.
Each of the eight participating teams will get K2.5 million as starter pack. Player of the Tournament and Golden Boot award winner will pocket K1.5 million.
In addition, Player of the Match will get K100,000 in each game.
