Oh! hail the Prince. It was Prince Kachere who scored an equalizer for Mafco to settle for a 1-all draw against Silver Strikers before claiming a 3-1 post-match penalties win to reach the finals of the Airtel Top 8 in a spirited match played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Silver had let go of a 28th-minute opener by Patrick Macheso just twelve minutes to full-time only to lose in the end to the high-flying Salima-based military side.
The soldiers skipper Paul Ndlovu, Aubrey Chafewa, and Peter Kasonga managed to convert their spot-kicks to claim the win even though second-half substitute Paul Phiri saw his effort over the bar.
The Bankers however saw Chisomo Mpachika and Mark Fodya both missing with a spot-kick by Chikondi Kamanga saved by Mafco goalkeeper Christopher Mikuwa. Just only Innocent Shema managed to score.
It was an affair in which Silver enjoyed massive possession with Uzichi Vunga manning the midfield and his exchanges with Duncan Nyoni from the left side were in no match for Chafewa.
The bankers appeared to hunt for an early lead in the 20th minute when Vunga shot just over the bar to draw mixed reactions from the fans.
But the deadlock was finally broken eight minutes later when Macheso was set by Chimwemwe Idana after overpowering Peter Kasonga.
Macheso rounded off the towering Ndlovu before slotting past Chimwemwe Mikuwa.
Just before recess, Mafco had an opportunity to level matters when the Silver backline was caught napping. Bernard Chimaimba could not believe that Silver goalkeeper Pilirani Mapira took two steps backyard and parried his short-range shot.
In the second half, both sides had their fair share of chances.
Stain Dave shot just far wide ten minutes after the half-hour mark, around the time frame in which Katsonga also saw his efforts just over the bar.
A leveler came at the 83rd minute when Jere was set by Mphatso Philemon and made the simplest of tap-ins.
A goal to separate the sides was no near for both sides until the referee Misheck Juba sanctioned penalties in which Silver had a rude awakening only converting once.
Silver coach Pieter de Jongh while blaming the officiation, the Dutchman also rued missed chances from his charges.
“If you take a look at the game, we played well and we scored a goal but the officiating panel made some bad decisions that cost us the game. The referee and the linesman failed to award us a goal and gave a red card to a player for a serious offense. As a team we will evaluate the game,” he said.
But for Pritchard Mwansa, coach for the winning side, the result showed the resilience he demanded from the players at halftime.
“We are happy to have made a comeback and won the match. I will demand of my players nothing but complacency as we head to the finals,” Mwansa said.
Mafco will now face Bullets, a match to remind fans of the FDH Cup finals in which the two sides already met this season with the Blantyre-based side claiming a 3-nil win.
Last year, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers won the competition after beating Bullets 5-3 on post-match penalties.
The champions will get K17 million plus a trophy whereas the runners-up will get K8 million.
