Editors PickNational Sports

Carlsberg semis brew

Predictions have been made, words exchanged, mind games played and, finally, Moyale Barracks and Be Forward Wanderers face-off in a potentially explosive Carlsberg Cup semi-final tussle at Mzuzu Stadium this afternoon.

It’s been a solid 16 years since Moyale last won the Carlsberg Cup. On the contrary, the trophy is Wanderers’ darling.  They have won it thrice and are the defending champions.

Moyale (in green) have vowed to exert revenge

The Nomads go into the match beaming in two successive glories over the Lions of Kaning’ina. A 3-2 victory in the Airtel Top 8 was followed by a 5-1 drubbing in a league tie last week. Based on those two defeats, Moyale are underdogs going into the showdown and Wanderers remote favourites.

But the words from Moyale coach Charles Kamanga ooze with confidence and solid belief which signify that, more than anything, time for the army side to trigger a grenade of revenge has come.

“Enough is enough,” he said on Thursday, “we are not dwelling in the past. This upcoming match is a new game altogether and we are ready to give our best.”

The soldiers will still be without a host of their regular players. Striker Gastin Simkonda has not recovered from accident injuries he suffered early this year, last man Ntopijo Njewa has been  sick and still ruled out while injured Lovemore Mitengo is also not available for selection.

But Kamanga said in other players he has enough weaponry to reach to the final where “we want to end the long spell we have gone through without winning this trophy.”

Hitman Kuda Muyaba will carry Moyale hopes while Deus Nkutu and Clifford Fukizi will be in the supporting cast.

Moyale, unlike Wanderers who needed penalties to beat resilient Blue Eagles in the quarterfinal, easily hammered Michiru Madrid 4-0.

In the tussle against Eagles, Wanderers struggled to break through and needed a late penalty to cancel the cops’ lead and will hope to avoid a similar tricky and haunting scenario.

The Nomads will have to do without their inspiring midfielder Alfred Manyozo Jnr who is serving a four game suspension for indiscipline, injured playmaker Yamikani Chester and their ‘sniper’ Jaffalie Chande. Though their absence is a blow, Wanderers coach Yasin Osman believes they have enough quality to cover up.

“It is unfortunate that we will be without some key players. But we have other options, so we are not panicking over his absence,” he said.

Strikers Amos Bello and Ishmael Thindwa are still out injured and the coach will likely attack with Peter Wadabwa and new catch Esau Kanyenda.

“Esau is slowly adjusting to local football because he has been abroad and we expect him to be firing after a few difficult games. Peter is back from injury and he is almost fully fit,” the coach said.

The winner will face either Nyasa Big Bullets or Red Lions who clash in another semifinal at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe tomorrow.

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