Silver, Eagles fail to dislodge Mafco

Silver Strikers and Blue Eagles yesterday failed to displace Mafco from the top of TNM Super League table following their one-all draws with Azam Tigers and Max Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre and Nankhaka ground in Lilongwe, respectively.

Silver, who have moved a place up, are now tied on 37 points and 14 goal difference with Mafco from 19 games apiece. However, Mafco have kept a tight grip on the driving seat because they have scored 34 goals against Silver’s 29.

Eagles have maintained the fourth slot on the table with 36 points, the same as third-placed Nyasa Big Bullets, who are two goals better on 16 goal difference. Eagles have played 19 games whereas Bullets have played 20.

At Kamuzu Stadium, Tizgobere Kumwenda put Silver ahead with a simple tap-in in the 70th minute before Tigers restored parity four minutes later through Brighton Munthali, who slotted-in on a rebound after Silver goalkeeper William Thole fumbled Yamikani Chester’s short-range strike.

Tigers almost won the match in the 80th minute, but they missed it big time; with Silver goalkeeper Blessings Kameza clearly beaten, Munthali had hit spectacular scissor-kick, but it was cleared off the goal-line by the Bankers’ captain Lucky Malata.

Silver coach Lovemore Fazili attributed the draw to fatigue, especially in the dying minutes of the match.

“It was difficult to play in the scorching sun and it is disappointing that we failed to acquire maximum points from this game, which we led until the 80th minute,” Fazili said.

His Tigers counterpart Gerald Phiri, whose team is now sixth on the table with 30 points from 21 games, had this to say: “We are satisfied with the result. This was a tough game and it is important that we have managed to salvage a point.”

At Nankhaka, Charles Ngosi gave the Eagles the lead early in the second half, but Sparrow Msowoya equalised for Max Bullets deep into the final segment.

In other matches, PremierBet Wizards settled for a one-all draw with Karonga United. Hygiene Mwendepeka put Karonga ahead in the 10th minute through a free-kick from about 30 metres, nut with only 10 minutes to full time, Wizards pulled level through Frank Mulimanjira.

Red Lions were the only winners yesterday after beating Dwangwa United 1-0. n