Judgment day in FISD Challenge Cup final

Finally, the hour is at hand 90 minutes, judgment day is where  boys will be separated from men in the 2018 FISD Cup final slated for Sunday at Bingu National Stadium (BNS) in Area 48 Lilongwe.

The final which is dubbed as 2018 ChristmasGift for the finalists and the final has more at stake since either Silver Strikers or Be Forward Wanderers one of the will be trophy less this season since the two have not won any silverware  as Airtel and  Carlsberg cups and  TNM Super League title have eluded them.

Will this time around, the first FISD Cup winners, Be Forward Wanderers turn the magic to win the cup for the second time since it was introduced in 2016 or gave away  the opportunity as they did in the Carlsberg Cup final against Master Security in Blantyre.

The two teams met in the Airtel cup final in 2017 at the same venue where the Central Bankers grabbed the Cup after silenced the Lali Lubani boys on post-match penalties 10-9.

Wanderer’s veteran defender, Harry Nyirenda crowned the day when his spot kick hit the upright to decide the game.

Silver Strikers made it to the final after beating Nyasa Big Bullets 2-0 at BNS while Wanderers secured the final berth after booting out Mzuzu based outfit, Moyale Barracks 2-1.  

For the past four season the two teams have met four times in the final, wanderers and won three times while Silver only won once.

The Cup final rivalry of the two teams dates back in 1984 when the two teams met in the Kamuzu Cup final at Kamuzu stadium in Blantyre where the two drew 1-1 and a replay was ordered.

The final was played at Civo stadium in Lilongwe where Wanderers beat Silver 2-0 when Sito Mfarinya and Kannock Munde scored.

Both Silver and Wanderers supporters need to troop to the stadium to witness the battle of glory for the season.

Silver’s goal getter, Khuda Muyaba will led his team with hopes of promising needed goals for the team while Wanderers will depend of last week’s hat trick hero, Zicco Mkanda to replicate the magic in the final.

Goal minders, Brighton Munthali fo rSilver and Nenani Juwayo for Wanderers  need to guard their goal posts jealously and even if the game will go into penalty shoot outs, they need to be at their best.

Wanderers veteran  midfielder, Joseph Kamwendo need to be instrumental in the middle of the pack and stir his team to victory and he is three days away to his wedding day in Blantyre.

Silver captain Young Chimodzi Jnr need to lead his team mates to land of glory and has to tighten their midfield.

Silver’s head coach, Lovemore Fazili said they are ready for the final and it would not be an easy final as both teams are baying for silverware.

“We are playing at home and this will be one of the best games of the season. We need to win this cup otherwise we will end the season on a sad note,” he said. 

Fazili appealed to Silver fans to come to the stadium to give moral to their team and jointly celebrate their victory together.

Wanderers Team Manager, Steve Madeira promised that the game would be a tough one for both teams.

“This is the second cup final for us and we will not let it go as it happened during the Carlsberg cup final against Master Security in Blantyre,” he said.

Madeira said: “Our fans are starved of silverware since we have not won anything and we have missed out on league title, this time around we need to reward them handsomely.”

Soccer analyst, Manuel Phiri hopes that the selection of the officiating personnel would be done on merit.

“The organizers of the Cup final needto bring competent referees for the good of the game and let the players decide on the results of the game not as a result of poor decision of officiating personnel,” he noted.

The FISD Cup defending Champions, Kamuzu Barracks failed to defend the cup as they were eliminated in the quarterfinals through a 2-0 beating by Silver Strikers.

They won the cup after they defeated Moyale Barracks 1-0 at Civo stadium in Lilongwe.

The FISD Cup final is expected to kick off at 2:30 pm

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