It’s Nomads, Silver, Tigers,Mafco
Defending champions Mighty Wanderers yesterday kept their third successive Standard Bank Knockout Cup dream on the boil when they beat Moyale Barracks 1-0 at Mzuzu Stadium.
The Nomads will face Silver Strikers, who came from behind to beat Blue Eagles 2-1 at Silver Stadium in the capital in the semi-finals.
The compelling quarter-final encounter, that drove the fans through a bewildering gut of emotions, was decided by Mike Kaziputa’s penalty kick that was awarded by referee Jones Makhuwira in the 13th minute.
The penalty came after a dangerously advancing Victor Mpinganjira was fouled by Moyale’s Robert Simkonda.
And for a few giddy seconds, with the ball calmly placed on the spot, Kaziputa stood at his short run-up then stepped up to convert the spot kick without panicking.
Moyale coach Nicholas Mhango expressed disappointment with Mzuzu fans.
“Anyway, we wish Wanderers all the best, it is part of the game,” said Mhango.
Nomads coach Gerald Phiri sounded relieved, saying: “Moyale were too physical, but we contained them. I thank God for the win.”
At Silver Stadium, dead-eyed wonder kid Chawanangwa Kawonga was the centrepiece of Silver’s win with a vintage display that stunned the Area 30 cops.
Eagles raised false hopes when they took the lead in the seventh minute through Schumacher Kuwali, but nine minutes later, Blessings Tembo cancelled the lead with a beauty from a free kick.
And just when it appeared like the match would be decided through the dreaded penalty shootout, the Bankers hit the winner through a penalty that was awarded by Fifa referee Dennis Nguluwe when Kawonga was fouled from behind.
And from the resultant spot kick, Ndaziona Chatsalira made no mistake and the cops, led by the Inspector General Lot Dzonzi, who watched the action from the VIP Stand, trooped off disconsolately.
It will be the third successive time that the Nomads will face Silver in this competition, only that in the previous two meetings, they clashed in the finals and on both occasions, the Nomads came out triumphant.
In another quarter-final match, Azam Tigers edged Kamuzu Barracks 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium via an own goal from Diof Simaone in the 15th minute following a communication breakdown with his ‘keeper.
Kau-Kau will face Mafco who thumped Airborne Rangers 3-0 in a curtain-raiser at Silver Stadium.
Mafco led 1-0 at half-time through Patrick Masanjala’s long range missile.
He went on to score another goal in the second-half before Emmanuel Chipeta completed the rout.
