Standard Bank Cup preview

Sep 26, 2015 Andrew Cane Chilapondwa Sports 131

Malawi’s heavy weights will return back in the field of play this weekend to battle it out for the prestigious 2015 Standard Bank Knockout Cup quarter-finals.

Having won this year’s Carlsberg Cup by beating their sworn rivals Big Bullets FC last month, alot of football fanatics expected Mighty Wanderers to continue with the good form but that was not the case as they slumped twice in the TNM Super League.

The Lali Lubani boys will now turn their attention to their quarter final clash against Red Lions at Kamuzu Stadium.

The past two league games ended in a defeat but Eliya Kananji remains hopeful of recovering from the recent slump of form when his side face the Zomba based Soldiers.

“Our goal scoring problems costed us six vital points in the league but this is a cup game and we are hoping to recover from those two defeats. We have sorted our problems and the boys are ready to move on by progressive to the semi finals of this cup,” he said.

The Nomads will be without midfielder Rafique Mussa, Francis Mulimbika and Ishmael Thindwa while Jabulani Linje is back to full fitness and is expected to lead the Nomads front line.

On their part, Red Lions says their 4-2 defeat to league leaders Bullets last week will no distract them from piling more misery on the Nomads.

“This is another game and we are very sure of sailing through to the semi finals. We are leaving no stone unturned. We will recover from last weeks’s league defeat and we are ready to pile more misery on the Nomads,” said head coach Collins Nkuna.

At Silver Stadium, there will be a Lilongwe derby between Silver Strikers and Blue Eagles.

Both teams are doing well in the domestic league but there will be only one winners. Collecting 9 points from their three games is a clear indication that the Bankers are back in town but they must be very careful with free scoring Cops from area 30.

Eagles have scored seven goals in two games, with their new talisman Shumacker Kuwali scoring six goals from the said goals.

Big Bullets — Bullets in the cup as well.

During the same competition last year, Eagles got knocked out by the current defending Champions but team manager Gabriel Chirwa believes his side can edge out past the Bankers this time around.

“Its a cup game, very difficult to predict but we are ready to edge past the Bankers at their own backyard. We are not getting carried with our top form in the league but we will treat this game like a cup final,” he said.

And on Sunday, Moyale Barracks will battle it out for a place in the semi finals against Big Bullets at Civo Stadium.

Bullets vice captain Pilirani Zonda says his team is ready for the Soldiers.

“We lost the Carlsberg Cup title to Wanderers but we have set our eyes on winning the Standard Bank Cup. It won’t be easy against Moyale Barracks but we will do what ever it takes to sail through,” said Zonda.

Winners will join Civo Service United in the semi finals of the cup following their 2-nil victory over Dedza Young Soccer on Friday afternoon.