Chitipa United’s journey in the FDH Bank Cup came to an end on Saturday following a penalty shootout defeat to Civil Service United at Civo Stadium, with the visiting team attributing their loss to travel fatigue after arriving an hour late for the match.

The drama began before kickoff when Chitipa United only arrived at Civo Stadium at 2:10pm, forcing them to rush through their pre-match preparations. Upon arrival, the team immediately began warming up but were quickly called back to the dressing room by the General Coordinator, Match Assessor, and referees to complete the mandatory player check-off procedures.

In contrast, Civil Service United had arrived in good time and commenced their warm-ups at 1:30pm, giving them a significant advantage in preparation time. Both teams eventually completed the check-off process at 2:15pm before the match kicked off at the scheduled 2:30pm.

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The match itself ended goalless after regulation time, forcing a penalty shootout to determine the winner. Chitipa United’s penalty woes proved decisive as three of their players failed to convert from the spot – two penalties were saved by the Civil Service goalkeeper while another went wide. Civil Service United, meanwhile, maintained their composure to convert all three of their penalties and advance to the next round.

Despite showing defensive resilience throughout the match, Chitipa United appeared to lack the attacking intensity needed in the final third, with glimpses of fatigue evident in their play.

Speaking after the elimination, Chitipa United coach Kondwa Ikwanga pointed to travel exhaustion as a key factor in his team’s performance.

“We had fatigue which affected us because we travelled all night. You could even see the way the players were performing. But that’s part of the game – penalties can go either way,” Ikwanga explained.

The coach revealed that transportation issues had contributed to their late arrival: “Our bus has a fault and is undergoing maintenance. We had to hire a car at short notice, which is why we arrived late.”

With their cup campaign over, Chitipa United will now shift their focus to league action. They face a challenging fixture against Big Bullets in the TNM Super League next Saturday, playing at home in Chitipa.

Ikwanga remains optimistic about his team’s prospects in the league, saying: “It will be a completely different situation. The players are ready, and you’re going to see a different team altogether.”