City, Immigration complete Power start semi-finals list
Blantyre City FC and Immigration FC on Saturday registered quarter-final victories in the Powerstart Tayale Knockout Trophy to complete the list of teams that have marched into the semi-finals.
City whitewashed Polytechnic FC 8-0 while The Passport Boys beat MDF Marine 5-4 on post-match penalties after a two-all draw in regulation time at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre.
This means the two teams have joined Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves and Changalume Barracks, who made the last-four grade over two weeks ago after dismissing Sable Farming and Maxsteffords, respectively.
A brace each from Emmanuel Lino and Andrew Jere plus strikes from Dan Dzinkambani, Philip Chavula and Davie Neliyo ensured City’s qualification into the semis.
Powerstart Trophy provides City with the last chance of winning a knockout competition this season after they were knocked out of the FDH Bank Cup national qualifiers following a 1-0 loss to fellow Southern Region Football Association Premier Division side Sable Farming.
In the last two seasons, City defied the odds to reach the semi-finals of the Fisd Challenge Cup and the Carlsberg Cup.
City’s chairperson Francis Nachamba said he was happy with his team’s dominance.
“We are happy that we have reached the semi-finals and we have done so in style,” he said.
Polytechnic team manager Dave Maluwa attributed their humiliating defeat to lack of team spirit. He congratulated City on their victory.
In the other quarter-final matches, Chisomo Chimera and Chisomo Ngwira scored for Immigration while Thoko Ngwira and Henry Josephy were on target for Marine to let the regulation time end two-all. However, lady luck smiled at Immigration after one of Marine’s players’ penalty was saved.
SRFA vice-general secretary Kingsley Simbeye yesterday said they are yet to fix the date and venue for semi-final encounters.
