Family affair 

Nyasa Big Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa is expecting their reserve side to be a hard nut to crack as they clash in today’s  FDH Bank Cup final at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

The last time they met in a prestigious cup final was in 1996 memories when the Bullets triumphed 3-1 over their youth team to lift the Press Cup  at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.

Last year, Bullets and their Reserve side faced off in the FDH Bank Cup round of 32 in which the main team won 5-4 on post-match penalties  following regulation time ended one-all.

In a press briefing on Friday, Pasuwa admitted that they cannot underrate their youth team as they are fighting for a K25 million winners’ purse.

He said: “They are no longer a reserve side. Those boys are by no fluke a big team that stand on their own. If you saw the way they played throughout the competition, you will understand that they are very good. As a senior side, we have to prepare well to beat them and take the cup home.

“Being the first time, we will try to win the FDH Bank Cup after many years of trying and coming out in the quarter-finals or second round. It is very interesting to meet our so-called reserve side in the final. We need to put everything in order to come good on the day.”

The Bullets head coach, whose side thrashed rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers 4-0 in the semi-final, have their defenders Precious Sambani and Gomezgani Chirwa and attacker Lanjesi Nkhoma ruled out due to injuries.

However, it is justifiable for Bullets to be wary of their reserve side.

On their way to the final, the ThumbsUp Southern Region Football Association League Premier Division team knocked out three TNM Super League sides Blue Eagles, Waka Waka Tigers and Red Lions before beating their fellow second-tier outfit Extreme FC 2-1 in the semis.

As if that is not enough, the Reserves have not lost a cup game in regulation time at the Kamuzu Stadium within the last five years and their coach Enos Chatama is upbeat in this potentially-explosive final.

With no injury worries, he believes it will not be easy for their senior team to lift the national cup.

So far, the Reserves are looking forward to adding a fifth trophy on their mantelpiece this season having won four cup competitions within their tier despite losing at least 14 of their best players to top-flight league teams at the start of the season.

Chatama, who was awarded Malawi Sport Awards Coach of the Year last month, said: “It will be a very tough game. As it is, we have played at Kamuzu Stadium for five years and we have not lost in a cup game except on penalty shootouts. We have never lost a match in the entire 90 minutes and we believe we [are] going to go hard on Bullets.”

Despite that, the battle will not be restricted to the two teams alone.

The main team’s striker Babatunde Adepoju and his Reserves counterpart Chikumbutso Salima will also fight for the Golden Boot, which comes along with a K500 000 prize.

Adepoju leads the scorers’ chart with four goals, a goal more than Salima.

Bullets main team also bank their hope on Chimwemwe Idana, Patrick Mwaungulu and Anthony Mfune while Reserves rely on Emmanuel Savieli,  Useni Assani and Chrispine Mapemba.

Meanwhile, FDH Bank plc senior marketing and communications manager Ronald Chimchere has said they expect a thrilling final.

“Our excitement also comes from the fact that Bullets main team and their Reserves play very entertaining football. As a home-grown bank, we are excited to have reached this far and we expect fireworks on Sunday [today],” he said.