Capital City arch-rivals Silver Strikers and Blue Eagles are likely to face each other in the round-of-64 of the 2024 Castel Challenge Cup following a draw conducted at Football Association of Malawi’s Mpira Village in Blantyre Thursday.
Eagles were drawn against non-league side Pyramids FC in the play-offs, with the winner progressing to the round-of-64 to face Silver.
All 16 TNM Super League teams were seeded for the draw.
Eagles were responsible for Silver’s exit from the FDH Bank after beating them 5-4 on post-match penalties following a goalless draw in the round-of-32.
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The policemen’s coach Eliyah Kananji welcomed the draw, saying his charges were ready to face any team.
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“If we reach the round-of-64, I am sure it will be exciting to meet Silver. But we must beat Pyramids in the play-offs first. Such teams are difficult to play against because they know us but we do not know them. So there are no easy games,” Kananji said.
His Silver counterpart Peter Mponda described the draw as tough but was quick to say that proper preparations would see them through.
“We just need to prepare for any team. This is a knockout competition and we do not need to take things for granted,” Mponda said.
Castel Malawi Head of Corporate Marketing and Communications, Lavern Chitakata said they were looking forward to an exciting competition.
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“We have witnessed a wonderful draw and we are hoping to have a wonderful season this year. We will bring exciting activities during matches so that fans should be entertained,” Chitakata said.
Fam Competitions and Communications Director Gomezgani Zakazaka said dates for round-of-64 and round-of-32 matches would be communicated by end of the week.
“We are ready as Fam to run this competition and, for sure, this will be a big one,” Zakazaka said.
The draw pitted defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets against Blantyre Rural’s champions in the round-of-64 where their bitter rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will line up against the winning team in Mulanje District.
