Malawian soccer season gets underway this afternoon with Nyasa Big Bullets, Blue Eagles, Be Forward Wanderers and Masters Security clashing in the Ecobank Charity Shield at Kamuzu Stadium in a prelude to the start of the TNM Super League.
The four teams won different trophies last season, with Bullets winning the 2018 Super League, Eagles winning Airtel Top 8, Wanderers winning the Fisd Cup and Masters Security winning Carlsberg Cup.
With Ecobank pumping in K12 million to support this year’s event which will be used to raise awareness on the abductions and killings of people with albinism, the four teams will go flat out in search for the first trophy before setting the stage for the new season.
The first match will see a repeat of 2018 Carlsberg Cup final between Wanderers and Masters Security while Bullets will host Eagles in another entertaining encounter.
With bragging rights at stake, the teams will not be taking this two-day tournament lightly.
Wanderers Captain Alfred Manyozo Jnr says his side will go flat out in order to end Bullets’ Charity Shield dominance.
“It’s what we are looking for. Winning the Shield will motivate us to do well in the new season and we are determined to do well in the two-day tournament,” he said.
Bullets Team Manager James Chilapondwa told the local media that his team is ready to defend the Shield at their own backyard.
“We are ready and we are looking forward to defending the Shield Cup at our own backyard,” he explained.
The bookmakers are favoring the two Blantyre giants but it won’t be easy to outsmart Lilongwe based teams who are determined to outclass the favorites at their home ground.
The teams are likely to use some new players but by the end of it all, there will be one winner.
Bullets are the current defending champions having won the shield at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The people’s team have won the Shield Cup twice in a row.
The stage is set for the 2019 Ecobank Charity Shield Cup with the four teams promising a fierce yet fair contest at the country’s soccer Mecca.
