ABSA PUMPS MORE CASH INTO 2022 ABSA CUP
ABSA Bank Zambia has injected K4 million to this year’s ABSA Cup tournament that will see winners pocket K650,000.
Speaking during the official launch and draws of the 15th edition of the tournament, ABSA Bank Zambia Managing Director Mizinga Melu said apart from the winners’ prize money upped by K50,000, this year’s runner up will pocket K300,000, up from K250,000.
The Player and Coach of the Tournament will each receive K25 ,000 while the K15,000 has been reserved for the Man of the Match for every game.
Melu said ABSA was fully committed to sponsoring the tournament which continues to promote the health, fitness and unity in the country.
“This sponsorship of the ABSA Cup for the fifteenth year is testament that we believe in our Country, we believe in our football – bola yapa Zed and we believe in the Zambian youth’s ability and determination to always triumph no matter what obstacles or challenges we face,” Melu said.
“Despite the shortcomings of our men’s national team, we encourage all soccer fans to continue rallying behind our national team and never give up on them. We believe the glory days will come back and with ABSA the country is assured of a partner that you can count on to develop soccer in the country.”
Melu praised the Zambia Women National Team for booking their place at the 2022 Morocco Africa Women’s Cup of Nations slated for July.
“We commend the ladies’ national team and urge the men to learn a thing or two from them We also must celebrate the positive things in Zambian football and one of these has been the advancement of women football exemplified by the remarkable achievements of the Ladies national team who represented Africa at the Tokyo Olympics last year and have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.
And FAZ President Andrew Kamanga said the Association was grateful to ABSA Bank PLC for keeping the faith in the last 15 years, before urging the corporate world to emulate the bank’s spirit of sponsoring the game.
“Football presents many other opportunities for more corporates to come on board. Recently, our women national team qualified to the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations to be staged in July,” Kamanga said,
“The rise of the women’s game stems from the fully fledged FAZ Women’s Super League that is in its second year. We have opened the door for sponsorship for the women’s game. Our hope is that prospective sponsors can utilize this opportunity.”
Sports Minister Elvis Nkandu said his ministry was full of admiration for ABSA Bank’s consistent sponsorship of the ABSA Cup.
“I would like to most sincerely thank ABSA’s consistent sponsorship of the football cup competition. ABSA Bank must be one of the longest sponsorship partnerships in the country and surely there is a lot for others to learn from the 15-year-old sponsorship partnership between ABSA Bank and FAZ,” Nkandu said.
“I will continue engaging the corporate institutions to implore them to come on board in the sponsorship and development of sport in the country.”
At the same event, former ZESCO United goalkeeper Jacob Banda was given the ABSA Cup Special Award having won the competition a record six times.
The line-up for this year’s quarter-final matches was confirmed Tuesday morning, with 2021 finalists ZESCO United drawn with fellow MTN Super League side Green Eagles. NAPSA Stars and Green Buffaloes will square-off in a repeat of the 2017 quarter-final in which the Pensioners won 3-2 on penalties after finishing 1-1 in normal time.
FAZ/EDEN University Division One Lumwana Radiants clash against 2018 winners Nkana while 2015 finalists Nkwazi have been pitted against Red Arrows for a place in the semi-finals of the competition.
Here is the full draw:
Lumwana Radiants Vs Nkana
ZESCO United Vs Green Eagles
NAPSA Stars Vs Green Buffaloes
Nkwazi Vs Red Arrows
🗓 Key ABSA Cup dates
March 12 & 13: Quarter-finals (Arthur Davies Stadium)
April 2: Semi-finals (Nkoloma Stadium)
Credit: FAZ Media
April 16: Final (National Heroes Stadium)