Silver coach cautious as Bankers hit the road

 Silver Strikers coach Pieter de Jongh says he is aware of the task at hand as the Bankers face Ekwendeni Hammers at Mzuzu Stadium this afternoon.

The match will be the Bankers first outside Lilongwe, having played FCB Nyasa Bullets at Bingu National Stadium before a trip to Nankhaka Stadium to face Blue Eagles.

The Bankers’ third fixture against Red Lions was played at home as well.

De Jongh said his side is cautious ahead of the fixture against the 13th placed outfit.

He said: “We are well-prepared for the game as my players are in good shape and proper mindset.

“Currently, we have all players set for selection for this game. As a team, we respect every opponent and we do respect Ekwendeni Hammers.”

But the coach, who will be in charge of the team at unfamiliar Mzuzu Stadium for the first time, expressed concerns over the condition of the pitch.

“We have one more session here back home and another one on Saturday in Mzuzu.

“We are worried about the pitch that side, but we have to do with what we have. We look forward to a good match regardless,” he said.

There is no love lost between Silver and Ekwendeni.

Last season, the two sides shared points in both first and second round matches which ended one-all.

In the 2021 season, Silver won 2-0 at Silver Stadium while Ekwendeni triumphed 1-0 at their backyard.

However, Ekwendeni Hammers coach Elias Chirambo said they are equally ready for the Bankers.

He said: “We are prepared for them and we look forward to this match.