The 2022 Airtel Top 8 Cup quarterfinal second legs action will continue on Saturday and Sunday as two more teams eye semifinal berths to join Blantyre giants Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who completed their missions last week.
Dedza Dynamos will play host to Blue Eagles at Dedza Stadium on Saturday before Kamuzu Barracks host Silver Strikers at Champion Stadium on Sunday.
Now we preview the two matches in detail
Dedza Dynamos vs Blue Eagles
The hosts have a mountain to climb after they lost 3-0 to Blue Eagles in the first leg match played at Nankhaka Stadium a fortnight ago.
For them to progress to next round, they need to score more than three goals and avoid conceding any goal against a side which, at their level best, can score goals for fun and they also have a very good defensive record having only conceded less than thirteen goals in the just ended league season.
Ever since the cup’s inception in 2017, the semifinal slots were decided in the quarterfinal first legs and there has never been a moment where teams have turned the tables after losing first leg matches and likely, Eagles will have an edge over their opponents who, despite starting their debut season on a high, struggled to cope with pressure towards the end of the league campaign.
Eagles will be hoping to repeat what they did in 2018 when they reached the final of the competition and eventually ended up winning it after they defeated Bullets 1-0 from the spot.
As for Dedza Dynamos, they are not favorites to pull this one out even though anything is possible in the world of football.
The winner between the two teams will set up a semifinal showdown with Wanderers.
Kamuzu Barracks vs Silver Strikers
Probably a game to watch as the hosts scored an important away goal when they were hosted by their opponents at Chitowe Stadium a fortnight ago.
However, second legs are very unpredictable if the scoreline is 1-1, 2-2 or goalless because the visiting always have an upper hand because any goal scored changes the complexion of the game.
In this case, any goal for The Central Bankers will mean more work to do for the Soldiers.
In the just ended league season, Silver got the better of their opposition by winning all the two matches and they will likely be striving to continue from where they stopped last month when they defeated KB 2-0 at Kasungu Stadium.
Both teams have an opportunity to reach the semis and win the Cup, the only silverware present after they lost the league and FDH Bank Cup to Bullets.
A goalless draw will be enough for KB to progress while The Bankers need to score atleast a goal to cancel the first leg goal scored by KB and then take the game away from the Soldiers.
The winner will meet Bullets in the semis.
Bullets are the current defending champions of the Cup.
The winner will walk away with a beautiful trophy plus MK17 million prize money.
The semifinals will be played on the weekend of 10 and 11 November 2022 with the final match set for 17 November, 2022.
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