Bangwe Madrid booted out of Katika Trophy
Bangwe Madrid suffered a post-match penalty defeat to Mbayani FC during the quarter-final qualifiers of the K1 million (about $4 000) Justice Katika Football Trophy at Desert ground in Bangwe on Sunday.
After a 1-1 draw in regulation time, there was a tense atmosphere among the fans and the two sides as the game went straight into the dreaded post-match penalties. At first, it was doubtful if the game could end at all as each side converted eleven spot kicks.
However, the former Arkay Southern Region Football League’s Division One runners-up blew up their chance of making it into the last eight when James Kanyandula blasted over the bar their 12th spot kick.
During the regulation time, Mbayani were the first to score through Ranken Chiseka who blasted home a well-curved cross from winger and captain Nedas Jali in the 36th minute. But Lawrence Phiri made it even in the 63rd minute as he took advantage of a goalmouth scramble to slot a hard-low drive into the far corner.
“This is really a great relief for us. Penalties are a gamble; you never predict a winner. But thank God, here we are in the quarter-finals,” said Jali after their victory on the stone-strewn pitch.
But a day of exciting football began with Clinic Veterans’ 5-4 triumph over Bisani FC in another quarter-final qualifier that drew a mammoth crowd.
So far, according the competition’s director Basiyano Bauleni, six teams have reached the quarter-final stage. He said that Zathu Rangers, Mvula Barracks alongside Ntopwa United and Ntopwa One are the other quarter-finalists.
“The quarter-finalists list will be complete this weekend as Faluja FC and Mthandizi All Stars respectively face Mbuzi Swallows and Ganja FC,” he said.
