* If the defending champions Bullets beat Changalume Barracks in the Round of 32, they will meet Hilltop FC for Round of 16
* While Wanderers have been drawn against fellow TNM Super League side, Creck Sporting Club
By Duncan Mlanjira
The Castel Challenge Cup 2024 Round of 16 draw — that also determined pairing for the quarterfinals and the semifinals — has been concluded in which Mighty Wanderers and Nyasa Big Bullets are set to meet each other only in the final.
First drawn this morning at Mpira Village in Blantyre for the Round of 16 were Hilltop to meet winners of the yet to be played Round of 32 match between defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets and Changalume Barracks.
Wanderers have been drawn against fellow TNM Super League side, Creck Sporting Club while Mzuzu City Hammers, who are yet to meet Kameme United will play against Mighty Tigers.
Winners between Civil Service United v Chingota Stars will date Kamuzu Barracks; Bangwe All Stars/Durban FC v FOMO FC; Karonga United v Moyale Barracks/Songwe; Dedza Dynamos/MMF Marine; Panthers FC v Chitipa United/Afanaafana.
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Quarterfinals
If Wanderers will sail through past Creck Sporting, they will meet winners of Bangwe All Stars/Durban FC v FOMO FC while winners between Dedza Dynamos/MMF Marine will meet winners of Hilltop v Nyasa Big Bullets/Changalume Barracks.
Winners between Karonga United and winners between Moyale Barracks v Songwe date winners between Mzuzu City Hammers/Kameme United v Mighty Tigers while winners between Civil Service United/Chingota Stars v Kamuzu Barracks will date Panthers FC v Chitipa United/Afanaafana.
Seminals
If Wanderers will go past the quarterfinals against Creck Sporting they will date winners between Bangwe All Stars/Durban FC v FOMO FC v Civil Service United/Chingota Stars v Kamuzu Barracks v Panthers FC v Chitipa United/Afanaafana.
Winners of Dedza Dynamos v MMF Marine will meet Hilltop v Nyasa Big Bullets/Changalume Barracks while winners of Karonga United v Moyale Barracks/Songwe will meet winners of Mzuzu City Hammers/Kameme United v Mighty Tigers.
Revelation team of the Castel Challenge Cup 2024 are Lilongwe-based Panthers FC, who have knocked out giants Silver Strikers in their Round of 32 — winning 4-3 in penalties following a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation time at the giants’ own home, Silver Stadium.
This is the second scalp by the second tier Chipiku Central Region Football League side in the Castel Challenge Cup 2024 as they also eliminated TNM Super league side, MAFCO in Round of 64.
The Chipiku Division side went to the game as underdogs while the Bankers made 10 changes to the side that won the Airtel Top 8 semifinal against Mighty Wanderers on Saturday.
Coach Panthers FC, Misheck Jere they approached the game timidly taking cognizance that Silver Strikers are TNM Super League leagues and are in the final of the Airtel Top 8 — so they went into the match “with a little bit of fear but after the first half ended goalless, we just told our boys just to apply our usual play”.
The decision by coach Peter Mponda to change the starting XI was to rest the regular players as they have important games to play in defending their lead at the top of TNM Super League 2024 as well as ahead of the Airtel Top 8 final against defending champions, Nyasa Big Bullets.
Meanwhile, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers heaped their disappointment at being beaten 1-0 by Silver Strikers in the Airtel Top 8 by thrashing Chipoka United 10-1 in the Castel Challenge Cup Round of 32.
The Nomads’ Clement Nyondo claimed four goals (19′, 28′, 53′ and 82′); a brace by Gaddie Chirwa (58′ 86′) and one each from Wallace Adam (33′), Isaac Kaliati (47′), Wisdom Mpinganjira (56′) and Francisco Madinga (90+5′) while Chipoka United’s consolation was from Isaac Kajam (26′).
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