Defending BP Top 8 champions Zanaco, 2005 winners Kabwe Warriors including Konkola Blades and relegation-troubled Nakambala Leopards all booked their places into the semifinals of this years tournament after winning their respective quarterfinal matches played on Saturday.
Zanaco made to through after beating Zesco United 5-3 on post-match penalties when their quarterfinal match finished 1-1 at full-time that was played at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola.
The match was one of three quarterfinal matches that was decided via spot-kicks during the opening round of this years BP Top 8 that saw only three goals scored in all four matches in relegation time.
Zanaco took a 4th minute lead through striker Winston Kalengo who set the defending champions on the road in this match at the Trade Fair.
Zesco defender Rogers Kamwandi leveled four minutes before the break on their way to the penalty shot-out that denied the home side their third successive BP Top 8 Cup semifinal appearance.
2005 champions Warriors had no such problems after they beat Power Dynamos 1-0 in Kabwe.
Zambia Under-23 defender Bronson Chama’s 50th minute goal from a free-kick was the difference between these two teams to see Warriors the only team to reach the semifinals within the distance.
Nakambala, who booked their BP Top 8 place after finishing 8th on the top-flight log last season, will be making their debut semifinal appearance after beating Green Buffaloes in their quarterfinal match-up at their infamous square pitch in Mazabuka.
The relegation-troubled team booked their BP Top 8 semifinal place thanks to a 5-3 on post-match penalty win over the army side following a scoreless draw at full-time.
Blades did not suffer the same “giant-killing” fate that befell Buffaloes when they dispatched of troubled Forest Rangers 4–2 on spot-kicks… again after another scoreless result at the end of the 90 minutes.
In the semifinals, Zanaco take on Warriors at Nchanga in Chingola while Blades and Nakambala face-off at Nkoloma in Lusaka on October 20.
