The much-anticipated 7th edition of the Airtel Top 8 Zamadolo Cup has kicked off with defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets defeating Civil Service United 2-0 at Kamuzu Stadium.
Recommended Stories
Stanley Billiat opened the scoring for Bullets just seven minutes into the game, capitalizing on a cross from Yankho Singo.
Moments later, in the 12th minute, Chawanangwa Gumbo doubled the lead, thanks to an assist from Ephraim Kondowe.
The two early strikes put Bullets in the driver’s seat, and despite several attempts by Civo to claw back into the game, they couldn’t find the back of the net.
After the game, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ first assistant coach, Micheal Ngole, praised his team’s performance, though he admitted it was far from easy.
“It looks easier after the match, but it wasn’t. Civil Service United is always a tough opponent, and we’ve faced them the most this season. But congratulations to the boys for the fight they put up,” Ngole commented.
Ngole dismissed the idea that Bullets now had an edge over their rivals ahead of the return leg saying anything can happen in the game of football.
“This is just the first half of the tie. We know they can bounce back just as we did today. We still have a tough task ahead,” he cautioned.
His counterpart, Civil Service United Head coach, Abasi Makawa, acknowledged his team’s sluggish start but remained optimistic that they will do better in the return fixture.
Makawa said his charges lost focus in the first 20 minutes of the game which led to Bullets’ two goals.
“We lost our focus in the first 20 minutes, but after making some substitutions, the game picked up. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t score, but it’s football. We’ll go back, rectify the mistakes, and come back stronger in the second leg. If Bullets can score two, we can do the same. It’s only halftime in this contest, and we’ll plan well for the return leg at Civo Stadium,” said Makawa.
As the two teams prepare for the return leg on September 29 at Civo Stadium, Bullets will be cautious of a Civo team eager to overturn the deficit which will need to score at least three goals to advance, making it a potentially high-stakes encounter.
The Airtel Top 8 Cup will continue with other quarterfinal fixtures, including a clash between 2022 champions Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Bangwe All Stars at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Chitipa United will face Kamuzu Barracks at Karonga Stadium, and Silver Strikers will take on Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos on Wednesday, September 18, at Silver Stadium.
The winners of the Bullets vs. Civo tie will face either Chitipa or Kamuzu Barracks in the semi-finals on October 26.
The second semi-final, scheduled for October 27, will feature the victors from the Wanderers vs. Bangwe match-up against the winners of Silver Strikers vs. Dedza Dynamos.
This year’s Airtel Top 8 Cup boasts a K180 million sponsorship, with the champions set to pocket K30 million. The runners-up will receive K10 million, while all eight participating teams will get K2.5 million as a starter pack. Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot winner will each be awarded K1.5 million, with the Player of the Match in each game receiving K100,000. The finals of the competition have been slated for 3rd November 2024.
