Coach Kalisto Pasuwa
* The problem which we have been facing as Bullets is the fixture congestion
* But we will go there with the right sense of attitude in order for us to have a good result
By Duncan Mlanjira
After their TNM Super League 2024 assignment on Wednesday against Mighty Tigers, Nyasa Big Bullets had to use Thursday for rest and recovery ahead of the Airtel Top 8 2024 final against Silver Strikers while today they were on the road to Lilongwe for their title defence.
The Wednesday match followed their qualification to the final on Sunday in which they beat Kamuzu Barracks 2-0 in the semifinals while their opponents Silver Strikers played on Saturday in the semis beating Mighty Wanderers 1-0.
Then on Tuesday, Silver Strikers coach rested his regular players for the Round of 32 match of the Castel Challenge Cup 2024 against second tier Chipiku Central Region Football League side, Panthers FC, who beat them 4-3 in penalties following a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation time at the giants’ own home, Silver Stadium.
The Bankers had to come from behind having trailed 0-2 at half time and managed to hit back in the 77th minute before equalizing in the 85th for the match to go for penalty shoot out.
Having rested his regular players, Silver coach Peter Mponda had the advantage for tactical preparations from Wednesday up to today, Friday.
Nyasa Big Bullets Media posted coach Kalisto Pasuwa analysis of the team’s situation, saying: “The problem which we have been facing as Bullets is the fixture congestion.”
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“Going into the final, maybe, with only a day of training, is something that as coaches we need to sit down and see how best we can manage it for us to have a result but that’s what is there.
“Yesterday we played [against Mighty Tigers], today is for recovery and then tomorrow we are traveling. Last Saturday, we played a game. So you can see that here, we are not going to to train anymore.
“Maybe we will try our level best to manage these boys in terms of recovery on the day of the game or even in the morning, we try to do tactical or increase the intensity so that they can be ready, but everyone knows what what is needed in a cup final.”
He acknowledged that Silver Strikers are doing well and that Bullets are not underrating any team: “We will go there with the right sense of attitude in order for us to have a good result.”
Coach Mponda
Silver Strikers Media quotes coach Peter Mponda as saying the final is an opportunity for his side to set the record straight by winning it adding that they have worked so hard to get to the final and there is a need to make the effort count by winning the tournament.
“We are very ready for this big game. Last season it didn’t go well for us,” he is quoted as saying. “I think this is the time to fix the record as we have got a very good squad and It’s now up to the boys to start believing that they can do it.
“This far we have scored more goals and conceded two; our opponents have scored only four whilst conceding none, these numbers tell us that they are good at the front, therefore, we have to find means to penetrate them.”
Ahead of the final, Silver Strikers’ Chinsinsi Maonga is leading in the race for the race for the Airtel Top 8 2024 Golden Boot with 3 goals — two way from four Nyasa Big Bullets players with one each; Stanley Biliat, Chawanangwa Gumbo, Ephraim Kondowe and Blessings Mpokera.
The two teams also met in the final during the 2023 edition of the Airtel Top 8 in which Nyasa Big Bullets won 5-3 on post-match penalties.
Since its inception in 2017, Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers are the only sides that have won the Airtel Top 8 twice each — Silver in inaugural championship in 2017 when they beat Wanderers 10-9 on post-match penalties after goal-less in regulation time and beating Karonga United 1-0 in 2019.
Nyasa Big Bullets won their first Airtel Top 8 title in 2021 following the triumph over Silver Strikers before lifting it last year after beating MAFCO 2-1 while Blue Eagles won it in 2018.
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