Just a week after being eliminated from the Airtel Top 8 Cup, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers are out for revenge against the very sides that knocked them out, Ekhaya FC and Karonga United, when the two rivalries resume in league action this afternoon.
Bullets, four-time winners of the Airtel Top 8 Cup, were beaten on penalties by Ekhaya last Saturday following a 2-2 aggregate draw. Silver Strikers, meanwhile, suffered a more painful exit, going down 3-0 in the second leg to bow out 3-2 on aggregate to Karonga United.
Bullets Chase a Fourth Straight League Win
Bullets host Ekhaya at Mpira Stadium this afternoon, looking to keep their unbeaten league run alive and secure a fourth consecutive victory under head coach Wedson Nyirenda.
The People’s Team sit third on the table, two points behind leaders Mighty Wanderers, who beat Civil Service United last Saturday. A win for Bullets, combined with favourable results elsewhere, could see them close the gap on league leaders Blue Eagles and second-placed Kamuzu Barracks.
Speaking at Thursday’s press conference, Nyirenda admitted the cup exit still stings but said his side has already turned its attention to the league.
“The Airtel Top 8 Cup elimination was very painful for us, and we just have to concentrate on the league for now. The league is different from the cup. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. What is important for us is to maintain the momentum that we have built,” he said.
Ekhaya, unbeaten in their last eight matches, sit sixth on the table with 15 points from nine games and will be chasing their first-ever league victory over Bullets.
Cowboys head coach Enos Chatama said his side is ready to put the cup tie behind them and focus solely on the league fixture.
“The boys are geared for this game. We expect a tough game, considering that we are facing them twice in just a week. It’s a battle between two teams, and we don’t have to think about Bullets seeking revenge. There is a gap of four points between them and us, and if we win the game, we will narrow that gap to just one point. All we need is to prepare well,” he said.
Silver Strikers Look to Punish Karonga at Home
Fourth-placed Silver Strikers host Karonga United at Silver Stadium, where they will be aiming to protect a home record that has stood since 2022, the last time they lost there, 1-0 to Mighty Tigers.
Central Bankers coach Peter Mgangira said the best response to last week’s cup disappointment is a convincing home win.
“We are playing against the team that booted us out of the Airtel Top 8. The best thing that we can do is win convincingly at home,” he said.
“We are out of the Airtel Top 8, and what we have now is the league to fight for. We have done our very best to restore the players’ confidence and to make sure that, when it comes to finishing, we are snipers. We don’t need five chances to score.
“Every chance we get has to be converted into a goal. As I said, we are at home, and the good thing is that we are playing a team that beat us 3-0. The best we can do for the supporters is win convincingly,” Mgangira added.
Karonga United arrive at Silver Stadium on the back of mixed league form, results that prompted the club to suspend head coach Audlow Makonyola and hand interim charge to Chris Chinkhwita. Karonga sit just one point above the relegation zone, having already lost four league matches this season, alongside two wins and three draws.
Interim coach Chinkhwita insists his players are relishing the challenge.
“We are not going to play under pressure. They are the ones under pressure. We have prepared well for the game,” he said.
Second-placed Blue Eagles make the short trip to Civo Stadium to face struggling Kamuzu Barracks, with the Area 30-based Cops hoping a win will send them back to the top of the table.
In the day’s other fixture, Dedza Dynamos host Chitipa United at Dedza Stadium.
