The FDH Bank Cup is known for its giant-kiling upsets by minnows and ahead of this week’s last 32 round, the big question is, which upset is on the cards?
Last season, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves, sent shockwaves throughout the country after they eliminated three TNM Super League teams to reach the final, which they lost to their main team in a thrilling encounter witnessed by thousands of football fans.
In its first edition, Rumphi United became the first non-league side to reach the last four of the competition, which eventually saw them losing to Ekwendeni Hammers to end their fairytale run.
Now, with the third edition kicking off on Wednesday across the nation, we should also anticipate giant-killing performances from premier division teams as that has been the trend since this prestigious Cup was launched in 2020.
The first match in the competition will see defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets hosting a non-league side Ndirande Stars at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
This will be the second time in three seasons for The People’s Team to start the FDH Bank Cup campaign with a premier division team.
In its inaugural year, Bullets hosted their Reserve team, which ended 1-all in the regulation time before they proceeded to the last 16 on penalties, beating their opponents 4-3 on penalties.
Bullets will be well aware of how these ‘unknown teams’ have performed against big guns in this club competition.
Ndirande Stars has nothing to lose going into this fixture as pressure is on the giant to progress to the next round.
At Mzuzu Stadium, Moyale Barracks will host Iponga FC in another interesting match. Last season, the Mzuzu based soldiers had to struggle to beat Ngwanje FC in the same competition’ round 32 as they were forced to come from behind to win 2-1 to progress to the round 16.
This will serve as a reminder to Nicolas Mhango’s side not to treat their opposition very lightly.
They are second in Group A of Simso Northern Region Football League with 10 points from five games.
In one of the three all Super League affairs, Karonga United will host Kamuzu Barracks at Karonga Stadium. The two teams have had a mixed start to the league season, but this is a knockout game in which there has to be a winner at all cost.
The final match on the opening day will see Extreme FC hosting ST Gabriel Zitha FC in what has been described as a Mchinji ‘mini-derby’ at Civo Stadium.
The hosts will be motivated by their first league win over Mighty Mukuru Wanderers before the international break, but facing a rival in a knockout game has never been predictable and this will definitely be another match worthy the eyes of football fanatics in the country.
The action will continue on Thursday with the final fixtures of phase one.
At Bingu National Stadium, 2020/21 winners, Silver Strikers will welcome Ntanja United in another ‘David v Goliath’ affair.
The Central Bankers are in top form under their new head coach, Peiter De Jhong, who has taken them top of the Super League with 21 points from nine games but they are facing a side which is also doing well in the ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League with 13 points from six games, occupying the third position with a game in hand over the second-placed team.
The Bankers are favorites to proceed to the next stage but they will also be well aware of what happened to them in the second edition when they got knocked out by Dedza Dynamos on penalties to fail to defend their Cup.
They have made their intentions of fighting on all fronts- league championship and FDH Bank Cup, clear as they want to bring back glory days to area 47, having finished the entire 2022 season without any silverware.
But challenging for all trophies at the same time might be a distraction and might sacrifice the Cup for the league championship hence the need to be very careful against a side which has nothing to lose going into this encounter.
At Balaka Stadium, Mpondas FC will welcome Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in another exciting fixture.
Favorites to go through, Wanderers will have to be very careful against a non-league side after they survived a scare in the second edition when they gave away a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 with Kamuzu Barracks Reserves after the regulation time but won 4-1 on penalties.
Their opponents are 8th in Southern Region premier division Group A with 6 points from seven games.
In another contest, Salima based Mafco FC will welcome Ekwendeni Hardknockers at Chitowe Stadium.
This will be another unpredictable match between a league side and a non-league team. It will be very suicidal for Prichard Mwansa’s charges to undermine their opponents knowing fully the consequences of taking these premier division teams lightly.
In the second edition, they got knocked out by Changalume Barracks in the round of 16, losing 2-1 at Balaka Stadium and that early elimination will serve as a warning to the military side against an opposition which is currently second with 9 points in cluster B of the Simso League.
The final round of matches in the last 32 will be played from 25 June to 28 June 2023.
This competition is the stuff of fairy tales juxtaposed with nightmares. Where David is granted the opportunity to try to floor Goliath.
Just as the lion traditionally preys on springbuck, Super League sides habitually ease past the teams from lower tiers in the national slugfest.
However, there are exceptions where the proverbial springbuck can mount a fightback to triump, in spite of being underdogs.
The likes of Silver, Eagles, Mafco FC, KB, and many more Super League teams know this scenario well from experience.
Phase one fixtures:
Wednesday, 21 June 2023
-FCB Nyasa Big Bullets v Ndirande Stars at Kamuzu Stadium
-Karonga United v Kamuzu Barracks at Karonga Stadium
-Moyale Barracks v Iponga FC at Mzuzu Stadium
-Extreme FC v ST Gabriel Zitha FC at Civo Stadium
Thursday, 22 June 2023
-Silver Strikers v Ntanja United at Bingu National Stadium
-Mpondas FC v Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at Balaka Stadium
-Mafco FC v Ekwendeni Hardknockers at Chitowe Stadium
