After a two week break in the top flight league, football returns this weekend but this time around, a prestigious FDH Bank Cup competition with exciting fixtures in the Round of 32 across the country.
While some of the big guns have small fish to fry, we have some heat seekers in our midst and Malawi24 previews selected Round 32 matches from which the best performers will proceed to the last 16.
Let’s see where we can rake in some coin
Dedza Dynamos vs Silver Strikers
The FDH Bank Cup puts together a battle of reigning champions Silver Strikers against Dedza Dynamos at Dedza Dynamos on Salima afternoon.
The rookies, who got promoted to the top flight league last season from Central Region league, have settled down well at their new home having played the majority of first Super League matches at Balaka Stadium.
Since re-opening the Stadium, Dedza Dynamos have won their two games against Ekwendeni Hammers and Civil Service United respectively.
But they are facing a side which won all their remaining three league games to finish the first round on a very high note.
The Central Bankers, who won the cup in its inaugural year by beating Ekwendeni Hammers 2-0, are coming into this match straight from their 2-0 victory away to Mafco FC coupled with victories over Mighty Tigers and TN Stars and they will definitely strive to continue winning to defend their title.
In the league encounter between the two teams, it ended 1-1 at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe.
Changalume Barracks vs Mafco FC
Battle for friendly forces in arms will intensify in this military affair at Balaka Stadium.
The Southern Region outfit finished the first round of Thumbs Up League third with 24 points and won a bronze medal in the just ended Powerstart Tayale Knockout Cup after hammering Bangula United 5-1 last week.
But they are facing a side which is also determined to go extra mile in this competition.
The Salima based Soldiers haven’t done well in Cup competitions ever since they returned to the top flight football at the end of 2019 season but they have an opportunity to repeat what they did nine years ago when they beat Silver Strikers 10-9 on penalties to win the Presidential Cup.
They go into this match fresh from their 2-0 victory away to Sable Farming on the final day of the first round matches in the TNM Super League.
This will likely be another entertaining but very unpredictable match between the two Malawi Defense Force teams.
Kamuzu Barracks vs MDF Marine
Two teams will battle it out for a place in the Round of 16 at Civo Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Capital City Soldiers have finished the first round of the Super League on the 5th position with a win over Red Lions, ending their five game winless run.
But MDF Marine, who have ended their first round campaign in the Thumbs Up Southern Region Football League on position one in Group Two, will not just be a walkover. The visitors are on a 7-match unbeaten run and if they can take this form into Saturday’s match, they will definitely cause an upset and make headlines for themselves in this competition.
Sable Farming vs Nyasa Big Bullets
The final match of all Super League affair takes soccer fanatics to Mulanje Park Stadium where Sable Farming will play host to Nyasa Big Bullets on Sunday afternoon.
It’s a match which is expected to be tough for both teams, who actually played each other 13 days ago in the Super League in which Bullets won 1-0 courtesy of a Babatunde Adepoju’s strike from the spot.
Bullets dominated the match but they couldn’t add more goals due to Fletcher Jamali’s outstanding performance between the two sticks who kept on producing fantastic saves to keep his side in the game.
But this is another game altogether and it’s a knockout competition in which the winner takes all and Sable Farming knows how important it is to use their venue to frustrate Bullets who are the current Super League leaders with 41 points from the possible 45, finishing the first round with 13 wins and two draws.
Coach MacDonald Mtetemera mentioned that Bullets into this fixture with their head screwed on facing opponent with resection, and with the quality that Bullets possess including the right mindset, it will be a tall order for the Chiradzulu based side to eliminate The People’s Team who will come out with full force in order to progress to the Round of 16.
Mighty Tigers vs Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves
A David vs Goliath affair between the two Blantyre based teams. This is another exciting affair in the Round of 32 of this competition as two teams from different competitions square off for a place in the Round 16.
Tigers are in mighty poor form at the moment, finishing with 15 points from their 15 first round Super Matches despite starting the season on a high note and have had more defeats towards the end of their first seven games, with their last victory being a 1-0 victory away to TN Stars on 7 May but since then, they have been hammered throughout no wonder they are just three points above the relegation zone.
On the other hand, Bullets Reserves are registering important victories in the second tier by finishing the first round of the Thumbs Up Southern Region Football League Group Two in second position with 24 points, two behind log leaders MDF Marine.
Just last week, they recorded their first silverware of the season when they defeated Zingwangwa United 3-1 to retain the Powerstart Tayale Knockout Cup at Mulanje Park.
Enos Chatama’s side will have some confidence heading into this encounter and spectators are assured of total entertaining football throughout the match.
Below are the complete fixtures for the Round 32:
Saturday, 16th July, 2022
-Dedza Dynamos vs Silver Strikers at Dedza Stadium
-Mighty Wanderers vs Kamuzu Barracks Reserves at Kamuzu Stadium
-Changalume Barracks vs Mafco FC at Balaka Stadium
-Chitipa United vs TN Stars at Karonga Stadium
-Airbone Rangers vs Ekwendeni Hammers at Chitowe Stadium
-Kamuzu Barracks vs MDF Marine at Civo Stadium
Sunday, 17 July, 2022
-Sable Farming vs Nyasa Big Bullets at Mulanje Park
-Moyale Barracks vs Ngwanje FC at Mzuzu Stadium
-Karonga United vs Iponga FC at Karonga Stadium
-Mighty Tigers vs Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves at Mpira Stadium
-Red Lions vs Zomba Airbase at Balaka Stadium
-Civil Service United vs Baka City at Civo Stadium
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