After months of thrilling action, lots of highlight reel goals, and a few upsets, the 2025 Castel Challenge Cup wraps up on Saturday when Goshen City Dedza Dynamos faces FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in the final at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
It’s the first time in the competition’s three-year history that these two teams meet in the final.
For Bullets, it’s their second final appearance in the competition, and a chance to add another trophy to their cabinet after they won the Airtel Top 8 Cup at the beginning of this football calendar.
For Dynamos, it’s an opportunity to win a major trophy in top-flight football for the first time in the club’s history, after earning promotion at the end of the 2021 season in the Chipiku Central Region Football League.
How will Bullets try to exploit Dynamos’s 4-4-2 formation?
Alex Ngwira’s men would want to settle into a 4-4-2 formation, which they used against Blue Eagles in the semis a fortnight ago when they were out of possession.
However, coming up against a team of Bullets’ caliber, they risk being punished in the open spaces, where sharp opponents can spot the gaps and capitalize without mercy.
Bullets’ emphatic 3–0 victory when the two sides met in the Super League in September was a clear demonstration of their ruthless attacking edge in the final third, as they tore through their opponents and left them completely exposed.
Chawanangwa Gumbo’s position in the attacking role unlocked Dynamos’s low block, creating spaces for either Chikumbutso Salima or Peter Banda to exploit.
Dynamos’s Otchaya Okote was drawn wider than he expected, and Bullets targeted the pocket of space between him and the defensive pair of Lughano Kaira and Daniel Mponya.
What happened next is that Mike Mkwate ran off Edward Dakalira to receive a pass from Gumbo, and shifted the ball quickly to Salima.
This was a key moment, as Kaira was then sucked out of position to engage with Salima, but arrived late, allowing the winger to slot the ball home.
Bullets overloaded the attacking zone, as left-back Christopher Phiri had not tracked Salima, who then made a good run into the box to receive the pass that set him up to score.
In that encounter, every goal followed a similar pattern, with the central midfielders pulling the strings to dismantle Dynamos’ defensive spine, creating a vacuum in midfield that left them wide open.
Bullets players celebrating their second goal against Mzuzu City Hammers
This will definitely be the move that Chirwa’s men (despite losing Salima to a Sudanese club, Al Merrikh SC,) will try to recreate at BNS.
When facing a 4-4-2 or a 5-3-1 formation, opposition teams target the space behind the two centre midfielders, and the gaps that appear between the wide centre-back and the wing-back.
There will be lots of moving pieces when Bullets have possession, and they will target a numerical advantage to overload the final third so that they force an early goal to unsettle their opponents.
Dynamos have to watch out for Maxwell Phodo
If one man is lighting up this competition, it’s Maxwell Phodo. The dynamic winger, who can seamlessly slot in as a number nine, has been unstoppable, racking up seven goals and emerging as the clear frontrunner for the Golden Boot. Clinical with both feet and dominant in the air, Phodo has already powered in four headers, with the rest finished expertly on the ground. Blessed with blistering pace and dazzling skill, he’s a nightmare for defenders. Add his relentless pressing in the final third, and it’s no surprise he stands out as the most dangerous attacker in this third edition of the tournament.
Maxwell Phodo (in white), scoring his second goal against Tigers
How can Dynamos exploit Bullets’ 4-3-3 formation?
When in possession, Ngwira’s men do not waste time attacking. Against Eagles, they pressed from all angles and posed more threat when in possession, especially through Bright Masebo, who had the pace to move into the opposition’s half with speed and precision.
In this competition, they are second to Bullets in terms of the number of goals scored (seven), and their ability to start from the back into the transition indicates their style from slow to fast and direct football.
From their two matches against Ekhaya FC in the quarterfinals and Eagles in the semis, they relied heavily on counterattacks.
Dynamos in action against Eagles
They scored two late goals against Ekhaya when the opponents were caught off guard in transition. They did the same against Eagles when the opposition thought they had completed the job, and seconds later, the ball was in the back of the net.
For them to pounce on Bullets, they will definitely rely on counterattacks, especially where Masebo will be operating from.
Gift Magola and Luke Chima can be thorns in Bullets’ side
Both players are enjoying a rich vein of form in this competition, netting two goals each in four appearances
Both were phenomenal in their shootout win over Blue Eagles, and they will be brimming with confidence on Saturday.
Magola is an exceptionally creative player with a real touch of class, and his finishing ability is outstanding. Coming off the bench against Eagles, he made an immediate impact—his very first touch found the back of the net to equalize, before the team went on to win on penalties.
He is a chance-creating machine, flying down the right attacking side to score goals for Dynamos in this competition.
Chima has rediscovered his form, scoring crucial goals for his team across all competitions. His energy is unmatched, and his pace allows him to take on defenders effortlessly. Any mistake is all it takes for the opposition to be caught off guard.
Luke Chima in action against Ekhaya FC
Defensive records
As these two sides play with such vastly different tactics, it is fair to suggest that whoever can best impose their style will come out victorious
When looking at the 2025 stats from the two teams in this competition, they both boast the best defenses. Bullets have only conceded a single goal while Dynamos have conceded two.
Bullets are a possession-based team. Their goal is to control the narrative of the match by keeping the ball and dictating where on the pitch the match is played.
On the other hand, Dynamos are organized and direct. They trust their defensive abilities, communicate well, and wait for their moments to hit swiftly and vertically with lethal counterattacks.
Head-to-Head
The two teams have met eight times in the league since Dynamos’ promotion to the top-flight at the end of their 2021 Chipiku Central Region Football League campaign.
The People’s Team has had four victories in these contests while the Dynamos only recorded one victory in all these matches.
The recent league meeting between the two teams ended 3-0 in favor of Bullets.
They have only met once in a knockout competition. Bullets beat Dynamos 5-1 in the FDH Bank Cup semis at Kamuzu Stadium.
Road to the final
Dynamos eliminated Creck Sporting Club in the Round of 32 with a comfortable 3-1 win to book a date with Karonga United in the Round of 16.
A late own goal from defender Simon Chipole inspired Ngwira’s side to a hard-fought 1-0 win to advance to the last eight of the competition where they successfully eliminated Ekhaya FC 2-0 to reach the semifinals where Eagles were the next opposition.
In the semis, they won 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 result in normal time.
As for Bullets, they beat Songwe Border United 3-0 to book a place in Round 16 where they came from behind to beat Ndirande Stars 3-1 to seal their third straight quarterfinal slot in the cup.
In the last eight, they beat Mighty Tigers 2-0 to set up a semifinal showdown against Mzuzu City Hammers, this season’s giant killers, who had already eliminated both Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers.
The match ended 2-0 in favor of Bullets, who booked their second final slot in this competition.
Meeting at BNS for the first time
On paper, Bullets may look like overwhelming favourites, but cup finals are never won on paper.
The giants have turned the venue into their second home since 2017, lifting five trophies from eight finals played there, a record that commands respect and fear.
In recent years, no club has matched their winning consistency, and when silverware is on the line, Bullets rarely blink, but history offers a warning.
Bullets were the 2023 winners of this competition at BNS
Blue Eagles have twice shattered Bullets’ dominance on the final stage, stunning them 1-0 in the 2018 Airtel Top 8 final and again denying them glory in the 2024 FDH Bank Cup.
On both occasions, Bullets walked in as favourites — and walked out empty-handed. It is proof that reputation alone cannot win finals.
This is where Dynamos enter the fold as the ultimate spoilers. Cup football thrives on drama, and dark horses often gallop the furthest.
This season alone has shown how unpredictable the competition can be, with Hammers sending Silver and Wanderers into an early off-season. The message is clear: giants can fall. But this is not the same Dynamos of old.
Knocked out both Silver Strikers and Wanderers in this year’s competition, Mzuzu City Hammers
With Shepherd Bushiri’s backing injecting ambition and serious financial muscle into the club, the team now carries belief, hunger, and expectation.
Millions have been invested, momentum has been built, and history beckons.
They are no longer just participants, they are contenders determined to impress their sponsor and seize a defining moment.
With CAF Confederation Cup qualification hanging in the balance, the stakes could not be higher.
At this stage, Dynamos may well pose a greater threat to Bullets than Silver or Wanderers ever could. In a final where pressure meets opportunity, anything can happen, and that uncertainty is what makes this showdown irresistible.
Photo credits: Football Association of Malawi, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, and Mzuzu City Hammers
