By Edwin Mbewe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The football Association of Malawi (FAM) has lined up four fixtures on the first day of the 2023 Prestigious MK120 FDH Bank Cup round of 32 on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.
The eight teams will be involved in day one of the second round of the competition as the defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets FC host Ndilande Stars FC at Kamuzu Stadium.
The Crocodiles from Kyungu river Karonga United dates Kamuzu Barracks FC at Karonga Stadium, Moyale Barracks FC battle it out with Iponga from Karonga while in the central region, there is a derby between newly promoted Superleague outfit Extreme FC and premier division side St.Gabriel Zitha FC at Civo Stadium.
Amongst the eight teams, who will successfully open the FDH Bank Fast Save account or credited through the FDH Bank Ufulu *525#?.
Extreme FC would be looking forward to continue making history in the cup having reached the semifinals in the 2022 edition where they lost 2-1 by FCB Nyasa Big Bullets RSV FC at Kamuzu Stadium when they were playing in CRFA Chipiku Premier division league.
Caretaker coach Elvis Kafoteka expects a tough match this afternoon at Civo Stadium against neighbours St.Gabriel medicals.
“It will be a tough game as we will be playing our rivals despite them being in the premier division. I have challenged my boys to take this game as a final and avoid complacency. They have to go there with lions hearts the way they approached Bullets and Wanderers FC games.
“We are geared for the encounter as we don’t have injuries in our squad and the preparations have been so encouraging. The boys should take last edition’ achievement of reaching the semifinals as a step Stone and not a thing to boasts at and avoid underrating our counterpart because they are in lower league”, Kafoteka says.
His counterpart Martin Mkamanga for St.Gabriel Zitha FC was upbeat of getting desired result from the game while acknowledging to expect a difficult game.
“They are in Elite league and we are in Chipiku so will be underdogs going into today’s game but we are geared to fight until our last blood.
We can’t change our tactical approach because we are playing elite league team. We will approach it the way we do with other games. We will be taking each game as it comes”, Mkamanga said.
Extreme FC are struggling in the TNM Superleague anchoring the table with 5 points from 9 games and going through financial crisis.
A win will help them to increase their chances of being credited some money through UFULU 525.
St.Gabriel Zitha however are enjoying good form in Chipiku Premier league after finishing on position 3 in group B with 14 points from 7 games having won 4 games drew 2 and lost 1.
During their time in CRFA Chipiku Premier division league Extreme FC never defeated St. Gabriel Zitha FC.
They were beaten in the final of CRFA Nyasa Capital finance Cup for Namitete based side to win it for the first time.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets FC won the 2022 edition after defeating their junior team by 3-2 at Kamuzu Stadium.
