Two legendary cup campaigners will go head-to-head in the 2023 ABSA CUP after Mighty Mufulira Wanderers and Power Dynamos were paired together in the quarterfinal draws made on Wednesday in Lusaka.
Between Power and Mighty, the old establishment has won a combined total of over 60 cups minus the 6 and 9 league titles respectively that they have to their names.
But one of them will sadly be making a quarterfinal exit when they clash in a last-16 doubleheader at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka on March 11.
Power and Mighty will headline the doubleheader at the equally iconic venue and will be the obvious match of the last eight ties next weekend.
Mighty has never reached the semifinals of the ABSA Cup and is making their third-ever appearance in the tournament.
The Shinde side made its ABSA Cup debut in 2014 where they lost 2-0 at the same stage to record champions Zesco United.
But this will be Mighty and Power’s second-ever ABSA Cup meeting.
Power eliminated Mighty in the 2015 quarterfinals at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe 5-4 on post-match penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Power was later ejected at the semifinal stage 5-4 on penalties by Nkana after a 2-2 draw in an exported Kitwe derby at Woodlands.
Meanwhile, Power is the most successful team in this year’s tournament after fellow two-time winners Napsa Stars failed to qualify to defend their crown.
Record five-time champions Zesco United did not also qualify for this edition of the ABSA Cup.
And the rest of the quarterfinal draws will see 2015 winners Green Buffaloes play Forest Rangers in the curtain-raiser of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Twenty-four hours later at the same venue, Green Eagles will play Trident at lunchtime and 2012 champions Red Arrows will play FC MUZA at 15h00.
