Up for grabs: K25m FDH Cup
The hour is upon us. Silver Strikers and Ekwendeni Hammers this afternoon clash in maiden FHD Bank Cup final at the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
With K25 million as the ultimate prize for the champions, the stakes could not be bigger for either side in a season characterised by financial problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions that ate into the clubs’ revenue as fans were barred.
The road to the final has not been smooth for both sides.
Silver had to see off two of the country’s top sides on the way.
First, the Bankers knocked out Nyasa Big Bullets in the quarter-finals, just a week after losing to the TNM Super League champions in the league.
They went on to outclass Mighty Wanderers in the semi-finals, beating the Nomads 3-0 just a week after the Blantyre giants collected maximum points in a league encounter.
Ekwendeni also had a fairytale journey to the final.
They were drawn against unpredictable lower league sides Airborne Rangers in the Round of 32 and Mighty Wanderers Reserves in Round of 16.
They only came face to face with familiar fellow TNM Super League side Ntopwa FC in the quarter-finals.
A semi-final victory over another lower league side Rumphi United through post-match penalties assured the Mzimba-based outfit’s place in the final.
Statistics favour Silver who are seasoned cup campaigners, having won the last edition of the Airtel Top 8.
Ironically, Silver and Ekwendeni met last week in the TNM Super League and the Bankers had no problems defeating the rookies 2-0 to revenge their first round 1-0 loss.
But with K25 million at stake, the final promises to be a whole different game and Ekwendeni coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa warned Silver not to read too much into the league match.
He said: “I know a lot of people are mistaking us for underdogs because we lost to Silver last week.
“But that’s good for us. We like to be called ‘underdogs’. That takes away the pressure from us.
“We will simply play our game and accomplish our mission. We are not here in Lilongwe as tourists.”
For Silver, this is their last chance to finish the season with silverware having lost the league battle to Bullets.
Silver assistant coach McDonald Yobe admits that the final may not be as simple as the league match.
He said: “We need to be serious. Last week we beat them, but that is not a gurantee that we will beat them again.
“There can never be any room for complacency. We have belief in our players. They have been working hard and we believe we will grab the cup.”
His confidence stems from Silver’s Stain Davie, Maxwell Phodo Gasten, Frank Banda and Blessing Tembo, who have been influential in their campaign, to spearhead their attack.
Ekwendeni, on the other hand, have Chancy Kaunga, Wongani Lungu, Michael Tetteh, Chawanangwa Gumbo, Emmanuel Kaunga, Jack Maulana and captain Eneya Banda to fulfil their dreams of becoming K25 million richer at the end of the match.
