* We have seen a different kind of draw that has happened this time around from the last one that we had
* We have seen good games that are going to be played in the districts again, something very important to us because we want to reach as many district teams as we can
Maravi Express
There are 934 teams that registered for the second edition of the Castel Challenge Cup, Malawi’s biggest football knockout cup, of which 16 are Super League teams, 99 from the three regional leagues (36 from the South, 29 from the Centre and 37 from the North) and 960 from the districts (448 from the South, 288 from the Centre and 224 from the North).
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Following a draw that was conducted at Mpira Village yesterday, the 2023 champions, Nyasa Big Bullets have been paired against the team that will emerge as champions from Southern Region’s Blantyre Rural for the Round of 64.
Mighty Wanderers will date champions from Mulanje; Mighty Tigers v Mwanza champions; FOMO FC v Blantyre Urban champions; Machinga champions v Bangwe All Stars — in matches involving TNM Super League sides.
Other Round of 64 fixtures for the Southern Region are: MMF Marine v The Boyz; Thyolo champions v Nsanje champions; Neno champions v Mangochi champions; Chikwawa champions v Balaka champions; Kalimachoka FC v Phalombe champions; Zomba champions v Ntaja United; Changalume Barracks v Immigration.
The Central Region draw will start with a playoff between FDH Bank Cup 2024 champions, Blue Eagles against Pyramid FC, whose winners will meet last year’s runners-up Silver Strikers for the Round of 64.
Silver Strikers lost through penalties to Nyasa Big Bullets in the final of the inaugural championship of the Castel Challenge Cup.
It will be an interesting Round of 64 if Blue Eagles win the playoff against Pyramid FC as the Central Region Premier Division side ousted Silver Strikers from the FDH Bank Cup in the Round of 32.
Other Round of 64 matches for the Central Region involving Super League teams are: Kamuzu Barracks v Mikundi Youth FC; Civil Service United v Napolo FC; Dedza Dynamos v Challengers FC; Creck Sporting Club v Ergo FC; Panthers FC v MAFCO FC.
The others are Dowa Young Academy v Tapempha Medicals; Airborne Rangers v Green Rangers; Chimbiya Stars v LAC FC; Tigers FC v Bilira United.
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For the Northern Region, Mighty Irelanders v Baka City; Karonga United v Chipolopolo Boyz; Lube Masters v Chitipa United; Embangweni United v Moyale Barracks; Chikago FC v Songwe Boarder United; Afanaafana FC v Chizumulu; Iponga FC v Chitipa White Movers; Hilltop FC v Chanthomba Academy; Bolero Medicals v Kameme United.
The winners of the 12 Round of 64 matches will face each other to determine the six teams to qualify for the Round of 16. The teams will be paired based on their match numbers.
The draw was presided over by Castel Malawi’s Head of Marketing, Lavern Chitakata, who expressed optimism of having a great season more than what was experienced in the first edition of the competition.
“We have seen a huge change,” she told the media. “We have seen a different kind of draw that has happened this time around from the last one that we had.
“We have seen good games that are going to be played in the districts again, something very important to us because we want to reach as many district teams as we can.
“We currently have so many of the games at the district level and with big games coming up, we will be able to patronise them. We have seen that the draw has taken up very well,” she said.
On behalf of FAM, competitions & communications director, Gomezgani Zakazaka said they are looking forward to another breakthrough from a lower league team as experienced in the just-ended FDH Bank Cup, won by Blue Eagles, a team playing in the Premier Division.
“We are looking forward to a competition which will see the district teams doing well by advancing further in the competition,” he said. “We want to see a surprise like what happened in the previous competition which we have just concluded in which for the first time in many years, a lower league side has won a major competition, why not the Castel Challenge Cup which is the biggest platform in as far as giving teams that play in the lower leagues is concerned.
“We are talking about 31 teams that play in the district leagues, and on top of 31, we have got 17 teams playing in the regional league, and we believe that these teams are being given that biggest platform as far as Malawian football is concerned,” he said.
With the increased package from K320 million to K400 million, FAM expects stiff competition from the teams: “We are excited that the national phase for the second edition of the competition and now we have a shape following the preliminary round that was played at the district and regional level and now we are focused on taking it higher with the coming in of Super League teams.”
The Round of 64 matches are expected to start in the first week of October and Zakazaka said FAM will soon release the actual dates for the games.—Content by Fam.mw; editing by Maravi Express
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