A reason to celebrate wildly for Iponga FC
* After other second tier league side Raiply FC stunned top flight leaguers Chitipa United while Blue Eagles ousted Silver Strikers
* Iponga FC next meet MAFCO FC; Raiply FC v Lube Masters and Blue Eagles v winners of Sunday’s Simbi FC v Santhe Admarc
By Duncan Mlanjira
Second tier league side from the North, Iponga FC, have knocked out 3rd-placed TNM Super League 2024 giants, Kamuzu Barracks from the FDH Bank Cup 2024 after winning 1-0 in their Round of 32 match at Civo Stadium on Wednesday.
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This is the third upset of the 2024 edition, in which other second tier league side Raiply FC stunned top flight leaguers Chitipa United while Blue Eagles ousted TNM Super League 2024 runaway leaders, Silver Strikers.
Silver Strikers lost 3-5 to Blue Eagles on post-match penalties after 90 minutes ended 0-0 while Chitipa United lost 4-5 to Raiply after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Iponga FC will next meet MAFCO FC as Raiply FC will be up against Lube Masters while Blue Eagles will face winners of Sunday’s Round of 32 match between Simbi FC and Santhe Admarc.
Iponga’s Walusungu Gondwe was the hero of the day when he scored at the dot of full time and following Iponga’s win the Region Football Leagues has so far three teams in the FDH Bank Cup Round of 16 in Raiply, Lube Masters and Iponga as 7 others are out — Mitundu Baptist; Ndirande Stars; Chintheche United; Sporting FC; Cobbe Barracks; Chihame All Stars; Soccer Rangers.
Two more matches are on Sunday, July 14 between all-second tier sides, MMF Marine v Ntcheu Warriors at Mangochi Ground and Simbi FC v Santhe Admarc at Aubrey Dimba Stadium.
Civil Service United advanced to Round of 16 following 5-1 demolition of Chihame All Stars at Civo Stadium on Tuesday to face Mighty Tigers after the Kau Kau boys defeated Mitundu Baptist 3-1 at the same venue on Saturday.
The next round so far is:
* Nyasa Big Bullets v Mighty Wanderers
* Baka City v Creck Sporting
* Blue Eagles v Simbi FC/Santhe Admarc
* Mighty Tigers v Civil Service United
* Iponga FC v MAFCO FC
* Karonga United v Dedza Dynamos
* Moyale Barracks v MMF Marine/Ntcheu Warriors
* Lube Masters v Raiply FC
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The pick of the FDH Bank Cup 2024 Round of 16 will be the match between Wanderers and defending champions Bullets — the only side that have won the competition twice in three seasons since it started in 2021; having won it back-to-back in 2022 and 2023 while Silver Strikers were the inaugural winners in 2021.
Meanwhile, the TNM Super League 2024 resumes for Matchweek 12 in which leaders Silver Strikers date 3rd-placed Kamuzu Barracks away at Civo Stadium on Sunday to safeguard their leadership, in which they are 8 points ahead of 2nd-placed Mighty Wanderers.
At 21 points and against Silver’s 29, the Nomads are at home hosting 8th-placed Moyale at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday while reigning champions Nyasa Big Bullets — 5th-placed with 16 points — host 9th-placed Civil Service United at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
On 4th place are Mzuzu City Hammers with 20 points, who will host Dedza United (7th) at Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday
The other fixtures on Saturday are Mighty Tigers v MAFCO at Mpira Stadium; Creck Sporting v Bangwe All Stars at Civo Stadium and Karonga United v FOMO FC at Karonga Stadium while on Sunday are Chitipa United v Baka City at Karonga Stadium.
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