Airtel Top 8 defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Civil Service United renew their rivalry as they face-off in the quarterfinals second leg at Civo Stadium on Saturday.
The stakes are high in this match as the two teams will be battling for a place in the semifinals of the 7th edition of competition.
Bullets are one foot into the semifinals following their 2-0 victory over Civil with goals from Stanley Billiati and Chawanangwa Gumbo at Kamuzu Stadium last month.
However, Civil will hope to utilise home advantage and over turn the tables in the second leg.
The two teams are familiar foes in domestic cup competitions having met six times in the last 10 years. Bullets have won four times and lost two matches against Civil.
They also met at the same stage last year but Bullets triumphed 3-2 on aggregate after the People’s Team won 2-0 away at Civo Stadium but they lost 2-1 at home at Kamuzu Stadium.
Bullets and Civil also met in the 2024 FDH Bank Cup quarterfinals but the People’s Team triumphed 1-0 thanks to a Precious Phiri’s last gasp winner at Kamuzu Stadium.
Last year, they also met in the Castel Challenge Cup but Bullets defeated Civil 3-0 at the same venue.
Civil assistant Coach Wilson Chidati said the battle is not over yet.
“It is game on. Morale in our camp is high and we believe we can overturn the tables. Bullets scored two goals in Blantyre but we can also do the same here,” said Chidati, who is in charge of the team as Head Coach Abasi Malawi is with Malawi Women’s National Football Team, the Scorchers ahead of the Cosafa Cup slated to start next week in South Africa.
Striker Muhammad Biason has been ruled out of the clash against Bullets due to a knee injury.
But Chidati said the absence of the key man will not affect the team.
“We have several options. This is an opportunity for some of the players to make a name,” said Chidati.
On his part, Bullets Coach Kalisto Pasuwa also admitted that the tie is far from over.
“We played the first half in Blantyre so this is second half of the game in Lilongwe. It is a game not to put into our mind that we are leading, you know it can change any minute so we need to be careful on how we approach the match,” said Pasuwa.
The Zimbabwean mentor, who won unprecedented quadruple last season, said underrating Civil will be at their own peril.
“Civil have been giving us torrid time all the games that we played against them. It is not a team to underrate and relax so we need to go there to work hard to go to the next round,” said Pasuwa.
The winners between Bullets and Civil will face either Kamuzu Barracks or Chitipa United, who face-off at the same venue on Sunday.
Chitipa are also one foot into the semifinals after beating KB 2-0 in the first leg at Karonga Ground last month.
The other semifinals pair is already known as Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will face Silver Strikers.
Wanderers advanced to the semifinals of the competition after 4-2 victory over Bangwe All Stars on post-match penalties. The two teams were tied at 1-1 on aggregate.
Silver booked a spot in the semifinals after clobbering Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos 6-2 on aggregate.
The semifinals are expected to be staged on 2and 3 November while the final is scheduled for November 9.
Since its inception in 2017, Bullets and Silver are the only sides that have won the Airtel Top 8 twice each.
Silver were inaugural winners in 2017 when they beat Wanderers 10-9 on post-match penalties after goal-less in regulation time.
They won it again after beating Karonga United 1-0 in 2019. Bullets won their first Airtel Top 8 trophy in 2021 following a 5-3 win over Silver on post-match penalties before they triumphed 2-1 over Mafco last year.
Blue Eagles and Wanderers won it in 2018 and 2022 respectively.
