* Kamuzu Barracks went through to the Round of 16 after beating Southern Region League side, FC Thondwe 3-1 last weekend
* Setting themselves against yet another lower league side, NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) side Bangwe All Stars
By Duncan Mlanjira
NBS Bank National Division (NDL) side, Bangwe All Stars beat Sporting FC 5-2 after post match penalties at Rumphi Stadium to book a place in the Round of 16 of the FDH Bank Cup 2025 — dating for themselves a tussle against TNM Super League side, Kamuzu Barracks in the Round of 16.
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The match ended 1-1 in regulation time after Sporting FC’s Lyson Nkhoma equalised on the 90th minutes having trailed for 80 minutes following Bangwe All Stars’ Madalitso Mwanchoma’s 10th minute goal.
Meanwhile, Kamuzu Barracks went through to the Round of 16 after beating Southern Region League side, FC Thondwe 3-1 last weekend — setting themselves against yet another lower league side in Bangwe All Stars.
There will be a clash of an all-lower sides between Zingwangwa United and Mbelwa Warriors tomorrow at Mpira Stadium, — whose winners will meet defending champions Blue Eagles, who qualified after beating fellow TNM Super League side, Songwe Border United 5-4 in a closely contested post match penalties after a goalless 90 minutes.
Blue Eagles returned to the top flight league having been relegated in 2023 whilst in the regional league, they managed to win the FDH Bank Cup 2024 edition.
Meanwhile, Nyasa Big Bullets went through to the Round of 16 on Sunday after thrashing NBS Bank National Division (NDL) side, Chilumba Barracks 5-0 at Chitipa Stadium with four of them through Babatunde Adepoju and their other goal — that was the Bullets’ second — from Chawanangwa Gumbo this afternoon in the FDH Bank Cup 2025 Round of 32.
High fives fly for Bullets
Babatunde — who is always a thorn in the fresh of every defence he faces — opened the floodgates in the 21st minute and went on to increase the lead to 3-1 in the 34th after Gumbo’s 24th and he and claimed his hat-trick in the 57th before his 4th in the 57th to oust the NDL side from the competition.
The four goals has put Babatunde well ahead on the race for the competition’s Golden Boot — two ahead of Kamuzu Barracks John Mchema, who scored a brace in their 3-1 triumph of Southern Region League side, FC Thondwe.
Kamuzu Barracks’ first was an own goal from Emmanuel Phiri in the 8th minute while no one else has scored more than once in the 10 matches played over two days of last weekend as Thondwe pulled one back through Chikondi Mbeya from the penalty spot in the 41st when they were trailing 0-2 after Mchema’s 37th.
TNM Super League side, Karonga United were ousted at home by lower league side Chatoloma ADMARC 3-5 through post match penalties having played out to a 1-1 draw when the lite league side equalised in the 79th minute through Allen Chihana after Laston Pingeni had put the visitors in the lead in the 37th.
Silver Strikers ousted fellow TNM Super League side, Mighty Tigers 1-0 through Charles Chipala’s 78th minute goal while Dedza Dynamos were booted out by Creck Sporting Club 1-0 at their own turf at Dedza Stadium through a goal from Patrick Mapunza to date Moyale FC in the Round of 16 in the second week of September.
Mzuzu City Hammers saw off another NBS Bank NDL side, Baka City 7-1 in post match penalties having played to a 1-1 after 90 minutes. Baka, who are the immediate past participants of the TNM Super League 2024, managed to hold the seasoned Mzuzu City Hammers when they equalised through Hastings Ndawu in the 82nd minute having been one goal down from the the 44th through Hassan Luwembe’s goal.
Mzuzu City Hammers date Mighty Wanderers in Round of 16, who qualified on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium having beaten fellow TNM Super League side, MAFCO 3-1 through goals from Isaac Kaliati (62’), Blessings Singini (71’) and Blessings Zulu (88’) after MAFCO’s China Chirwa had pulled one back in the 87th.
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Team of the moment in the TNM Super League in the debut appearance, were shown how unpredictable cup matches can be by being beaten 1-2 by Moyale FC, whom they beat 3-0 in the elite league’s first round.
Ekhaya scored first through Helmas Masinja in the 13th minute but Moyale equalised in the 19th by Charles Nkhoma before Raphael Phiri put them into the lead in the 32nd.
There was also another draw at 0-0 between two TNM Super League sides in which Civil Service United won 3-0 in post match penalties against Chitipa United.
The Round of 32 will continue with NBS Bank NDL bottom of the league side, Jenda United against FC Shire; an all-NBS Bank NDL derby between Mchinji Villa and Mitundu Baptist; Beck Academy v The Boyz — and a Zomba City derby between Prison United and NBS Bank NDL leaders, Red Lions.
The excitement doesn’t stop there — it carries forward to the Round of 16 winners of Prison United v Red Lions to meet Civil Service United; Beck Academy/The Boyz v Nyasa Big Bullets; Sporting FC/Bangwe All Stars v Kamuzu Barracks; Zingwangwa United/M’mbelwa Warriors v Blue Eagles.
Then Creck Sporting Club v Moyale FC; Mchinji Villa/Mitundu Baptist v Chatoloma ADMARC; Mzuzu City Hammers v Mighty Wanderers and Jenda United/FC Shire v Silver Strikers.
The Round of 32 will be followed by the Round of 16 in second week of September — with the semifinals scheduled for first week of October while the final is on November 1.
