It’s a civilian final: Bankers stop KB to reach Airtel Top 8 final

Silver Strikers FC set up an Airtel Top 8 final clash against Mighty Be Forward Wanderers after outwitting Kamuzu Barracks 5-3 in penalty shoot-outs during the last quarterfinal match at Civo Stadium on Sunday, May 28, 2017.

The two teams played a one-all in regulation time as striker Mathews Sibale put the Bankers in front with a 23rd minute headed strike from a Blessings Tembo corner kick before Dan Ziba levelled from the penalty spot on 75 minutes following a hand-ball by defender Chisomo Mpachika in the box.

In accordance with the tournament’s rules and regulations, the game went straight into the penalty shoot-outs, which saw KB missing their first penalty kick taken by left back Mustafa Salim.

The Central Bankers converted all their five spot-kicks through Blessings Tembo, Young Chimodzi Junior, Green Harawa, Chisomo Mpachika and Thuso Paipi to lead the soldiers 5-3. KB did not take their last kick as their fate had already been sealed.

This was a sweet revenge for the Bankers, who were eliminated from the FISD Challenge Cup by KB at the same stage last year.

The result means Saturday’s final between Wanderers and the central Bankers will be a repeat of last season’s Carlsberg Cup final involving the same teams, which went in favour of the Nomads after penalty shoot-outs.

Commenting on the prospect meeting the high flying Nomads, the Bankers’ coach Lovemore Fazili warned the Lali Lubani boys not to take things for granted.

“This will be a totally different game from the one we played today and Wanderers should not take things for granted. Kamuzu Barracks defeated us last year and you have seen what we have done to them. We have sailed through rough waters to reach this far- Nyasa Big Bullets and Kamuzu Barracks are not ordinary teams so Wanderers must tread very carefully,” said Fazili.

About the Sunday game, Fazili said his boys were in control in the first half and early moments of the second half but relaxed towards the end: “Our game plan was to attack from the word go and get an early goal and we managed to do that but the boys relaxed towards the end thinking it was over,” said Fazili.

His counterpart Billy Phambala congratulated Silver for the victory: “Penalties are a lottery and the game could have gone either way. Congratulations to Silver for winning the game,” said Phambala.