Mafco FC and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will contest for the last trophy in the extended 2023 soccer season as they battle it out for the top prize in the Airtel Top 8 Cup at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday. This fixture will mark the end of the 2023 season.
This will be the second cup final meeting between the two teams in seven weeks, having faced off in the FDH Bank Cup at Bingu National Stadium in which Bullets hammered the soldiers 3-0 to retain the cup.
Bullets, who have already completed their treble since 2002, will target a quadruple, to create their own history.
For Mafco, this is a rare chance for them to add silverware to their bleak trophy cabinet that has just one cup, with their last triumph recorded in 2013 when they defeated Silver Strikers 10-9 on penalties to win the then Presidential Cup at Civo Stadium.
Road to the final
Mafco FC
The Salima-based side, drawn as the home side, is a chance to write a unique history of becoming the first military side to win the cup since its launch in 2017.
Prichard Mwansa’s charges started their campaign at home against Kamuzu Barracks in the first two-legged ties. The first contest was hosted at Dedza Stadium.
The hosts, who wanted to register a win before the return leg, were left frustrated by KB’s resilience, who held on to a goalless draw.
The second leg was at Civo Stadium. Dan Chimbalanga scored early to give his side a lead before KB’s equalizer in the second half. Mafco progressed to the semis on an away goal rule.
Their next opposition was Silver in the last four of the competition.
This showdown was hosted by the Central Bankers at Bingu National Stadium. Patrick Macheso scored in the first half, but the lead was canceled out by Prince Phiri’s second-half equalizer to take the game to penalties, which they won 3-1 to book a showdown with Bullets.
Mafco’s previous performances in Airtel Top 8 Cup
The last two editions saw them being knocked out of the competition in the quarter-finals. In 2021, they lost 5-2 to Bullets on aggregate in the two matches. They lost at Saturday’s venue 3-1 before losing 2-1 in the reverse fixture at Chitowe Stadium.
In 2022, they were eliminated by Mighty Mukuru Wanderers. They lost 4-0 in the two-legged matches.
Mafco’s last cup final appearance
In the last twelve years, the military side has made three appearances in a major cup final. Their first cup final appearance was in 2011 in the then Presidential Cup against Wanderers. They lost 1-0.
Two years later, they faced Silver in the same competition in which they won 10-9 on penalties. That was their final cup appearance until they made it to the FDH Cup final, which they lost 3-0 to Bullets in October last year.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
They have dominated Malawian football to the hilt for decades now, with their rivals lagging.
The Blantyre-based giants’ quality and easy-on-the-eye style of play once again demonstrated their supremacy when they won the inaugural Castel Challenge Cup to claim a double before Saturday’s final.
Their journey in this competition was a mixed one. They comfortably defeated Civil Service United 2-0 at Civo Stadium in the quarter-final first leg.
However, the 2021 winners’ status in the cup almost hit a snag in the second leg when they lost 2-1 to their opponents who missed plenty of chances that would have buried Kalisto Pasuwa’s charges.
In the semis, they traveled to Lilongwe to face Blue Eagles FC at BNS. It was an entertaining match worthy of every penny as it lived to its billing throughout.
A strike each from Lanjesi Nkhoma, Hassan Kajoke, and Ephraim Kondowe secured the win for Pasuwa’s men who finished the match with one man down following a second yellow card to Blessings Mpokera.
Eagles scored their two goals through Christopher Gototo and Richard Rapson. The match ended 3-2.
Bullets’ performances in the Airtel Cup
Playing in this final match will be Bullets’ fourth appearance. They are the only team to have appeared in finals in four different seasons.
Their first Top 8 appearance was in 2018, in which they lost 1-0 to the Eagles.
In 2021, they hosted Silver at this afternoon’s venue. The match was decided on penalties, with Bullets winning 5-4 following a 1-1 result in the normal time.
In the 2022 season, they failed to defend the cup as they lost 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw in regulation time.
If they win the cup, they will become the second team to win it twice, following in the footsteps of Silver, who won in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
Head-to-Head
This will be the sixth cup meeting between the two teams in the last fourteen years.
They first met in 2011 in the then Standard Bank Cup quarterfinal on penalties following a 1-1 result in the regulation time. Mafco won 3-1 on penalties.
They met again in 2015 in the then-Carlsberg Cup semi-final clash at Civo Stadium in August of that year.
Maurice Chiumia scored in the first half before Jafali Chande’s second-half equalizer to take the game to penalties.
Vincent Gona stopped Martin Masoatheka’s penalty kick, handing Dalitso Sailesi the responsibility of pronouncing Mafco’s sudden death. Sailesi made no mistake from the spot to send Bullets fans into wild celebrations.
In 2016, they met again in the same competition at the same venue. Initially, the quarterfinal match was supposed to be played at Chitowe in Dwangwa, but the Football Association of Malawi moved the fixture to Lilongwe after an alleged attack on Bullets players by some Mafco FC players.
Saidi Mtekama scored the only goal to knock Bullets out of the cup through a very powerful header originated from a throw-in that was flicked to the goal scorer by Bernard Harawa.
In 2021, they battled it out for a place in the semifinal of the Airtel Top 8 Cup when they met in the two-legged quarterfinal ties at Kamuzu Stadium and, Chitowe Stadium.
The first leg ended 3-1 in favor of Bullets through a Babatunde Adepoju brace and a lone strike from Hassan Kajoke.
In the return leg at Chitowe, Paul Phiri gave Mafco a first-half lead to reduce the arrears, but with less than ten minutes left to play, Adepoju scored twice to inspire his team to a hard-fought 2-1 win, advancing to the semis with a 5-2 aggregate win.
Recently, Bullets hammered them 3-0 to win the FDH Cup at BNS.
Team News
Blessings Mpokera is one player guaranteed to sit out the final as he is serving a suspension after he received his second yellow card in the semis against the Eagles.
Pasuwa will also be without Alick Lungu, Rabson Chiyenda, Kesten Simbi, Precious Sambani, and Richard Chimbamba due to injuries.
As for Mwansa, he has every player available for the selection.
