Tough encounters for Epac, Mzuni, Airborne

Epac United host Civo United this afternoon in the TNM fixture as they seek to move out of the relegation zone.
Fortunes have been dropping for Epac after a 0-4 whacking at the hands of Silver Strikers last week. At 18 points, Epac are fourth from the bottom—just a point separates them with Mzuni Football Club who have had tough times again since the season started.

“We were unfortunate to lose against Silver Strikers last weekend. It is a game which we dominated in the first-half and could have won it easily if we had converted our chances. But we have recovered from that and now our focus is on winning against Civo and move away from relegation zone,” said Epac coach Abbas Makawa.
Civo are buoyed by the 2-1 beating of Big Bullets and reaching the Standard Bank finals.
But coach Oscar Kaunda was cautious about the win, saying they should not be complacent.
“This is a completely different competition. Epac will want to move up the ladder and will play their lungs out. We want to finish in the top five so that we are eligible for the Standard Bank Cup again. We need to work hard,” said Kaunda.
In Mzuzu, Mzuni face Kamuzu Barracks (KB) in another fixture, which is difficult to predict as a lot lies at stake.
Mzuni assistant coach Jomo Ngonga insists that his side will still remain in the league despite dropping six points in away fixtures in Lilongwe against Civo United and Blue Eagles last weekend.
At Chitowe in Dwangwa, Airborne will also seek to move out of the relegation zone as they face league leaders Big Bullets, who are unbeaten this season.
“Players know the importance of playing in the top league. It was unfortunate losing those two games last week. This week, we will be playing at home and we hope to get maximum points,” said Ngonga in an interview from Mzuzu.
KB coach Temwa Msuku, whose team is on position seven, with 27 points, is seeking a top-five finish, just like Civo for an automatic qualification into the Standard Bank.
“It is difficult to play away as there are many elements that can sway the game for the home team. But we are going there with a positive mindset. It is a crucial game for us to win. We need not be dropping points at this stage,” he said. n