The Maravi Post

PREVIEW

LILONGWE--Despite Mighty Wanderers camp expressing serious reservations on the choice of Silver Stadium, the home of their opponents as venue for the K7million Kwacha Standard Bank Knock-out Cup final, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has ruled that the match should take place there this afternoon.

What is more interesting in today’s encounter is that this game should be emotional for Silver Strikers’ head coach Franco Ndawa who was unceremoniously sacked as the head coach of Mighty Wanderers a few months ago. It’s an opportunity for him to prove a point.

From this correspondent’s point of view, Ndawa is advantaged indeed to use his side to torment Nomads camp for the sin they committed to him. Silver Strikers is one of the best teams in the country with players capable of doing anything with the ball ranging from dribbling, defending, and more importantly scoring not only one or two but a half dozen goals and above at times. The likes of Peter Pindani, Rodric Gonani, Frank Banda, Ndaziona Chatsalira, Tony Chitsuro and Green Harawa are very lethal players.

Silver Strikers undoubtedly has again an upper hand of playing at home with the help of the twelfth player—supporters. The intimidation and the hostile condition the supporters will obviously affect the Nomads in one way or the another this afternoon. It is this correspondent's opinion that Mighty wanderers will be going into the field of play an emotionally disturbed side.

Don’t get this correspondent wrong. Nomads have classic players like their match maker Joseph Kamwendo but his individual brilliance against a highly charged Silver Strikers side can’t and will not pay any dividend this afternoon. Nomads will fall!

Some might argue that football is played on the pitch and the winner is determined after 90 minutes. That’s true but there’s temptation, backed by evidence of performance, to say that Silver Strikers this afternoon will be the champions of this year’s Standard Bank Knock-out Cup. Again, Nomads will tumble this afternoon as the bankers walk away with the cool K7million Kwacha. 

Readers are free to disagree with this opinion which is the same as having "fake" confidence that the Flames of Malawi will come from behind next weekend on Saturday in the return leg and score four goals to nil against a better side Ghana and qualify for the African Cup of nations to be hosted by the rain ball nation next year. But that’s a discussion for another day.

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© The Maravi Post 2012. Reproduction without acknowledgement prohibited

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