Barclay’s Cup draws on today

their first 19 fixtures which included three fixtures from the second round of the MTN/FAZ super league.

Speaking at a media briefing last week at FAZ headquarters, Football House, League Manager Katongo Kabungo said the format to select Lusaka Dynamos ahead of Green Eagles focused on the teams having played 19 games across the board not in chronological order.

He said the 19 fixtures were not in the strict order of the schedule as even matches from the second round could be included where the opportunity presented itself.

“Ideally we should pick the first 19 games played, sometimes you may have a game from the second half played in the first half. Let me give you the example of the game involving Forest Rangers and Nkana, we had to bring forward that game, we call it a swap. So it does not necessarily follow that you have to play Week one up to 19 sequentially,” he said.

It is the first time a team qualified for the crucial tournament based on the ruling by FAZ following numerous delays in the tournaments’ 11-year history over unplayed games from the first half of the season.

The 2017 semi-finalists Dynamos will go into the draws alongside 2015 champions Green Buffaloes, two-time winners Power Dynamos, record five-time champions Zesco United and holders Zanaco.

The 2014 losing finalists Nkana complete the six Super League clubs in the draws.

Meanwhile, 2015 semi-finalists Mufulira Wanderers will represent Zone Two while Young Green Buffaloes will represent Zone One.

Real Nakonde will represent Zone Three while the new kids on the block, Manchester United Zambia Academy will compete in this year’s edition of Zambia’s only cup competition representing Zone Four.

The lower tier sides will battle each other in the quarterfinal playoffs to meet their top-flight counterparts who are on bye.