…..Airborne 2-0 Support
By Edwin Mbewe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In an exciting clash on Sunday, the Flying Soldiers of Parachute Battalion FC secured their spot in the round of 16 of the Nyasa Capital Finance Cup, defeating fellow soldiers from Support Battalion Combat Unit in Mvela Dowa with a convincing 2-0 victory.
The match took place at Fikiza ground in the lakeshore district of Salima and marked the official launch of the 2023 edition.
Airborne Rangers FC ensured their group loan application with Nyasa Capital Finance was approved during the second half.
Chifundo Molosoni opened the scoring in the 52nd minute, registering his name on the form.
Madalitso Chisale completed the filling of the form with a goal in the 85th minute.
Despite their best efforts, Temwa Msuku’s Support Battalion FC was unable to overcome the Flying Soldiers, who soared high in their parachutes, making it challenging for the friendly forces to defend against.
Airborne Rangers have had a recent history of underperformance in cup competitions, being knocked out early in the Castel Cup and FDH Bank Cup.
In the 2022 Nyasa Capital Finance Cup, they were eliminated by Nsaru United FC.
Rangers’ coach, David Kachingwe, praised his team for executing the game plan effectively, emphasizing the need to correct past mistakes.
“We dominated the play, and the result truly reflects the game. I want to thank the boys for their outstanding performance and look forward to the round of 16 as we continue our preparations,” said Kachingwe.
Support Battalion coach, Temwa Msuku, accepted the defeat gracefully and congratulated their fellow soldiers.
“We have lost the match and we are out of the cup; it’s painful, but that’s football. We performed better in the first half. But we made silly mistakes that our opponents capitalized on, resulting in two goals,” Msuku explains.
Bernard Harawa, the General Secretary of the Central Region Football Association (CRFA), expressed his excitement at the launch of the 2023 Nyasa Capital Finance Cup.
“We wish Nyasa Finance had come to stay forever. The experience we’ve had in the past two years has witnessed significant development in the sport, with fascinating and entertaining games. This cup is unique as it has incorporated both premier and division one teams, unlike other sponsorships that are strictly for one division.
“We are experts in running the game, and we will harmonize the fixtures to ensure they are in line with the time factor. By December, the cup will be completed,” adds Harawa.
Nyasa Capital Finance Loan Consultant Officer, Rahem Haiya, commended the turnout at Fikiza ground in Salima and acknowledged that the aim of investing in football for the past two years has been achieved.
“We are impressed with how the three regions (CRFA, SRFA, NRFA) have managed the cup. We expect this year’s edition to be even smoother with stiffer competition,” Haiya said.
The cup has now been launched in all three regions: SRFA, NRFA, and CRFA. Namitete Zitha FC is the defending champions in the Central region, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserve FC holds the title in the Southern region, while Mayamiko Stars emerged as the 2022 winners in the Northern region.
Nyasa Capital Finance has contributed MK70 million kwacha for the third edition, with each of the three regions receiving over MK23 million.
