Expectations are that this year’s Castel Challenge Cup final will pit the powerhouses of Malawian football: Mighty Mukuru Wanderers versus FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
But first things first, Bullets must clear the last hurdle in Tuesday’s semifinals against Mzuzu City Hammers to make the decider at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on 21st December.
The People’s Team will host Hammers at Kamuzu Stadium, and if they win, they will face Wanderers in the final match, the second cup final meeting between the Blantyre giants since the 2022 season.
Interim coach for Wanderers won three out of their last four games in all competitions, putting up performances that ten goals with just one conceded.
However, this will be their first cup final appearance since the Airtel Cup final in the 2022 season. The Nomads haven’t done well in cup competitions, with their last cup success dating back to two years when they won the Airtel Top 8 Cup through penalties over Bullets in Lilongwe.
As for Bullets, they won all their last five games in all competitions, scoring ten goals and conceding two goals.
With their Zimbabwean tactician, Kalisto Pasuwa, the People’s Team has had success in cup competitions.
Since he was appointed in 2018, he has FDH Bank Cup twice, Airtel Top 8 Cup thrice, and last season, in its inaugural year, he won the Castel Challenge Cup.
The 2023 season was the most successful one for the Zimbabwean coach, who won every trophy in the land.
The only blemish in cup runs was when Bullets lost the FDH Bank Cup to Blue Eagles on penalties in the 2024 season and the Airtel Top 8 Cup to Wanderers in the 2022 season, but since then, he has always triumphed regardless of where the cup final is taking place.
The anticipation is high to see the two teams battle it out for the ultimate prize, but Bullets has to eliminate Hammers, a side that is desperate to reach their second cup final since the 2020/21 season in which they lost to Silver Strikers 2-0 in the FDH Bank Cup.
But, Bullets has never lost any match to Hammers. The last cup meeting between them was in the 2023 season in the same competition in which Bullets hammered them 4-0 at Tuesday’s venue. In the league, Bullets has seven wins from nine meetings, with two games ending in draws.
Bullets go into this match as clear favourites, but Pasuwa told the local media that his side is facing a very good side and that undermining them would be a very grave mistake.
“We are playing against a very good side. They are coming here in Blantyre. It’s a team that has been playing very well, and we can not underestimate them. We respect them because they play with a structure. We also need to be very positive in what we do. As you know, this is a game that needs one result, and that’s what we will be hoping for when we face them tomorrow,” he said.
As for Bob Mpinganjira, who is an interim coach for Wanderers, told the media soon after his team’s 3-0 victory over Leyman Panthers on Sunday that he is ready for Bullets if they make it to the final.
“We are ready for whosoever will face us in the final, especially Bullets who have had a good run over us in the cup games,” he said.
