Airtel Top 8 final clash
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers will square off in the eight edition of the Airtel Top 8 final at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this Sunday.
The two sides are familiar foes in domestic football and by far they are the most successful teams in the competition. This is a historic final as the two teams will be meeting at this stage for the third time since its inception in 2017.
Interestingly, this will be a repeat of the 2024 Airtel Top 8 final as Bullets triumphed 1-0 courtesy of Ernest Petro’s goal at the same venue.
Prior to that, the two sides also met in the 2021 decider in which Bullets defeated Silver 5-3 on post-match penalties after 1-1 stalemate in regulation time at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
But overall, this will be the fifth meeting between Bullets and Silver in the Airtel Top 8 at various rounds since its inception in 2017. The first time was in the inaugural edition when Silver knocked Bullets out of the Airtel Top 8 following a 1-0 victory on aggregate.
Victor Limbani’s goal in the first leg at BNS was the difference as the second leg ended goal-less in the second leg at Mulanje Boma Park in Mulanje District. Then, Silver went on to win the competition after beating Mighty Wanderers 10-9 on post-match penalties at BNS.
In 2022, Bullets and Silver also met in the Airtel Top 8 semi-final but The People’s Team triumphed 3-1 at Kamuzu Stadium.
There is also a lot to play for in this final. Bullets will go into the Sunday’s final as the most successful team with three Airtel Top 8 titles in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
In 2023, Bullets defeated Mafco 2-1 at Kamuzu Stadium. But they won the other two titles after beating Silver on both occasions in 2021 (5-3 on post-match penalties) and 1-0 last year.
On the other hand, Silver will be looking for a third Airtel Top 8 title having won it in 2017 and 2019. They made history after winning the inaugural edition in 2017 when they beat Wanderers 10-9 on post-match penalties. In 2019, they defeated Karonga United 1-0 courtesy of Khuda Muyaba’s goal at BNS.
It will be a battle of egos as Bullets coach Peter Mponda will face his former student Peter Mgangira. The pair worked together at Silver last season before Mponda returned to his boyhood club at the start of this season.
Interestingly, both Mponda and Mgangira were on the losing side last season.
Bullets will make their fifth consecutive Airtel Top 8 final appearance since 2021. But overall, this will be their seventh Airtel Top 8 final appearance since 2017. The People’s Team have lost twice in the Airtel Top 8 decider in 2018 when they lost 1-0 to Blue Eagles before a 5-3 loss on post-match penalties to Wanderers in 2022.
On the other hand, this will be Silver’s second consecutive final appearance and fifth overall since its inception. But Silver have lost twice in the Airtel Top 8 decider.
Eagles and Wanderers have one Airtel Top 8 title each. This year’s champions will get K35 million plus a glittering trophy.
