Bankers hit K15mil Airtel jackpot: Silver 10 Wanderers 9

Capital City giants Silver Strikers FC became the inaugural champions of the K66 million Airtel Top 8 Cup, when they conquered Mighty Be Forward Wanderers during the final match played before a huge crowd at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on June 3, 2017.

The victory saw the Central Bankers becoming K15 million richer within just one month after fulfilling only four fixtures.

Former Black Leopards’ defender Harry Nyirenda handed Silver the silverware, when he put away Wanderers’ 10th penalty kick after the Bankers had converted their first 10 kicks.

That ended the Nomads’ tradition of being the first to win all new trophies on the land.

The defeat also marked the end of Wanderers’ winning streak at the newly built Bingu Stadium, where they had won four consecutive games.

That remarkable record, coupled with their record of winning newly introduced trophies pitted the Nomads as hot favourites for the mobile money before the match.

However, things were not as people expected on the field of play as Silver closed all the supply lines for the Nomads, rendering red hot striker Yamikani Chester and last week’s three-goal hero Khumbo Ng’ambi ineffective.

It was instead Silver’s wonderboy Thuso Paipi who stole the limelight with his swift turns and runs inside the Nomads’ territory that also won him the man of the match accolade.

The full time whistle caught the two giants deadlocked at nil-all and Mzuzu based referee Aziz Nyirenda had to summon the dreaded kicks.

Silver were clinical in their penalty kicks as all their 10 on-field players managed to beat veteran goalkeeper Valence Kamzere in between the Nomads’ posts.

But Nyirenda’s poorly taken strike in the sudden death period went narrowly wide and that was it for the Lali Lubani Road boys.

It was all smiles and celebrations in the Bankers camp, where the fans declared they had found the dose for killing Nyerere in singing ‘Siliva mankhwala anyerere.’

Silver coach Lovemore Fazili praised his young charges for a job well done.

“I am happy with what the boys have done. It has taken us three years to build this team and we are now reaping the fruits,” said Fazili.

Wanderers outspoken team manager Steve Madeira turned into a man of little words when he simply said luck was not on his team’s side.

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