FMB maintains 6 finalists in U-20 tourney

FMB and organisers of the FMB Under-20 tournament have rescinded their decision to remove regional runners-up from the national finals slated for this weekend at Chiwembe Technical Centre ground.

Initially, each region was supposed to be represented by the champions and the runners-up, but a meeting on Monday resolved that only regional champions should pitch up for the weekend finals.

But in a dramatic turn of events FMB announced on Tuesday that it will go by the earlier decision to have six teams.

“This year, we will still maintain the six but from next year, it should be three teams only. We only need the regional champions because this is a national championship and having runners up defeats the purpose of bringing the regional best for the national battle.

“So be informed that the logistics of the finals will go on as announced last week Friday,” said the bank’s head of marketing Sylvia Nankwenya-Mataka in an interview on Tuesday.

This means the three regional champions Sporting Leopards (South), Hungry Lions (Centre) and Mzuzu City Rangers (North) will be joined by their respective runners-up Griffin Young, Young Dynamos and City Stars, respectively.

The six teams will be drawn in two groups and will play in a round robin format. The group winners will qualify for the finals while the second placed teams will fight for third place.

During the finals the bank is also expected to announce its continued sponsorship of the league, which has now clocked three years.