Three-time finalists FCB Nyasa Big Bullets take on Mafco FC in the Airtel Top 8 Cup deciding match at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Bullets are seeking a quadruple this campaign, having already retained the Super League, FDH Bank Cup, and recently, winning the Castel Challenge Cup in its inaugural year
As for Mafco, this will be their second cup final appearance this season, having lost 3-0 to Saturday’s opposition in the FDH Cup. Here are some facts ahead of the clash.
Bullets’ strong run
Bullets have lost only three of their 17 Airtel Top 8 Cup games outright dating back to 2017, which was a 2-0 quarterfinal aggregate loss to Silver Strikers, a 1-0 final defeat to Blue Eagles in 2018, and a 2-1 second leg loss to Civil Service United in Blantyre.
They have nine wins and five draws, though two of those statements ended in a penalty shoot-out from which they won once and lost one game as well to Silver Strikers (2021) and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers (2022).
They are the highest scoring team in this knockout competition with thirty goals from which they have conceded thirteen goals.
By advancing to this year’s final, they have become the only team to make four final appearances in this competition, seconded by Silver, who made three appearances while Wanderers reached the finals twice.
If they win it, Bullets will join Silver as the only two teams with two gold medals in the tournament. The Central Bankers, who won the cup in its maiden year in 2017 and then in 2019, are currently the most successful team behind Bullets, Wanderers, and Blue Eagles.
Four from four
Bullets kept up their 100 percent record in the Airtel Top 8 Cup semi-finals when they beat Blue Eagles to reach this year’s decider. But that win ratio slips to 25 percent when it comes to finals. They lost two of the three final matches in this competition to Eagles in 2018 before winning it in 2021 but lost again to Wanderers in 2022.
Last season’s shootout loss to the Wanderers left a bitter taste for The People’s Team, who will hope they can banish those memories this season.
Mafco is winless against Bullets in 2023 season
The two sides have met on three previous occasions, twice in the league and once in the FDH Cup. Bullets won the first league contest at Saturday’s venue, beating them 4-0 before playing out to a goalless draw away to Chitowe Stadium in the reverse fixture.
They met again in the FDH Cup in October last year in Lilongwe. Bullets’ dominance in the domestic scene was once again witnessed when they hammered them 3-0 to retain the cup in what was described as a one-sided match.
Sharp Shooters
Bullets’ duo of Maxwell Phodo and Hassan Kajoke head the 2023 scorers’ charts going into the final with two goals each. It means the Golden Boot is very much up for grabs.
A quartet of Ephraim Kondowe, Lanjesi Nkhoma, Dan Chimbalanga, and Prince Phiri has a goal each to their name.
Mafco is the first military team to play Airtel Cup final
Ever since its launch in 2017, no team from the Malawi Defense Force (MDF ) has reached the final of the competition. Moyale Barracks came close in the first edition when they advanced to the semifinals, but, they lost 3-2 to Wanderers after they took a commanding 2-0 first-half lead before surrendering it to the Nomads in the final half.
By playing in Saturday’s final, Mafco FC has become the first team to reach this level, and if they win it, they will be the only side from the military to achieve this remarkable result.
Rock Solid
Mafco has scored the lowest number of goals in this year’s edition. But their path to the final has also been laid with a superb defense that has conceded only two goals in 270 minutes of football. That was against KB in the quarter-final second leg and Silver in the semis.
Turnaround in fortunes
Prichard Mwansa’s men had never won any Airtel Top 8 Cup game in their last two appearances before this season, losing in the quarter-finals to Bullets in 2021 and Wanderers in 2022. But this campaign has been their year despite sailing through to the last four on away goal rule and beating Silver on penalties.
The stage is set
Kamuzu Stadium will host the Airtel Top 8 Cup final for the second time since launching the tournament in 2017.
Four of the six final matches were hosted by Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022. Blantyre’s oldest stadium hosted the cup in 2021 between Bullets and Silver.
