Mchengautuwa seeded in Carlsberg Cup
Northern Region premier league side Mchengautuwa United have all the reasons to smile as they will start the 2016 Carlsberg Cup campaign in the round of 32, just like Super League teams.
The development has come because only seven teams registered in the region and this made it difficult to pair the teams for regional play-offs that will identify three teams to represent the region at national level.
“Seven teams registered in the Northern Region, we set to have three teams from that side in the group of 32 for national play-offs. After conducting a lottery draw to pair six teams for regional play-offs, Mchengautuwa were lucky to fall into automatic seeded side in the region.
“This means they are already in the second-round of the tournament and will not participate in the regional play-offs. They will start from national level. This would have happened to any other team,” Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions manager Gomezgani Zakazaka explained.
The round of 32 that will comprise 16 seeded Super League teams and those that will qualify from regional play-offs.
Teams that will battle it out in North Regional play-offs are Jenda FC, Zolozolo United, Mzuzu University (Mzuni) Reserve, Chitipa United, Mzuzu United and Kabwafu FC.
Mchengautuwa, who scooped position six of the 2015 Northern Region Simama Premier League, said they are ready to play giants at national level of the Carlsberg Cup.
“We are set to face any other big teams. We are targeting wins against big teams like we did in the Presidential Cup when we knocked out Mzuni, “Mchengautuwa chairperson David Katete said.
According to Zakazaka, the round of 32 is scheduled mid July while the final match will take place September 10. n
