Silver Strikers’ prolific attacker, Festus Duwe, is on the cusp of claiming the lucrative MK1.35 million Golden Boot award in the Airtel Top 8 Cup. The former Ascent Academy midfielder has been in sensational form this season, leading the scoring charts with three goals from three games in the tournament.
Duwe’s journey to the top of the scoring list includes a crucial goal in a 1-0 home win against Moyale, followed by an impressive brace in the away leg in Rumphi. His closest competitor, Ishmael Chizinga, who netted twice against Mighty Wanderers in the quarterfinals, is now out of the running after his team was eliminated by FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
With Chizinga’s exit, Duwe’s main challengers for the individual accolade are players with a single goal each: Chikumbutso Salima, Hassan Kajoke, Maxwell Phodo, Emmanuel Allan, Nixon Mwase, and Stain Davie.
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Final set: Silver Strikers vs. FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
The stage is now set for a highly anticipated clash in the Airtel Top 8 Cup final. Silver Strikers secured their spot by defeating Civil Service United on Sunday, while FCB Nyasa Big Bullets overcame Karonga. This will mark the third time these two football powerhouses have met in the Airtel Top 8 Cup final, promising a thrilling encounter.
Historically, goals have been somewhat scarce in the Airtel Top 8 Cup, with only Babatunde Adepoju holding the record for the most goals in a single tournament – a remarkable eight goals in 2021.
In the tournament’s history, only one player, Lanjesi Nkhoma, has ever scored a brace in the final, achieving the feat when Bullets triumphed over Mafco FC in 2023.
The 2024 edition of the “Za Madolo Airtel Top 8” tournament boasts significantly increased prize money, reflecting a substantial investment from Airtel Malawi. The overall package has soared from K234 million to a staggering K655 million over the next three years.
The champions of the Top 8 Cup saw their prize money jump from K17.5 million in 2023 to a remarkable K30 million in 2024, with further increases to K35 million in 2025 and K40 million in 2026. The runner-up will also benefit, receiving K10 million in 2024, up from K5 million in 2023.
Individual awards have also seen a significant boost. The Player of the Tournament will now be awarded K1.5 million in 2024 (up from K500,000 in 2023), with the prize reaching K2 million by 2026.
The Top Goal Scorer (Duwe’s target) received K1 million in 2024, will receive K1.35 million in 2025, and K1.5 million in 2026. Furthermore, the Man of the Match award has doubled to K100,000 in 2024, and each participating team now receives K2.5 million, compared to K1 million in 2023.
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