Another super league tight ending
The deciding of the 2011/2012 TNM Super League championship destination on the last day of the season on Saturday will be the fifth of its kind since TNM started sponsoring the league in 2006.
Sulom has said the fact that the winners have been decided on the last day shows that the game has developed and competition has been growing every season.
In 2006, Wanderers had to wait for the last day at Kamuzu Stadium to become the inaugural champions after beating Blue Eagles 2-0, courtesy of Joel Chipofya’s brace.
In 2007, Escom United won their first league title also on the last day of the season, but in fashion.
Wanderers who had led on the log table for the better part of season needed just a draw against Silver Strikers at home to defend the title. But the Nomads lost 0-1 at MDC Stadium whereas Escom beat Bullets 1-0 in Lilongwe to overtake Wanderers.
The 2008 championship won by Silver, was decided two weeks before the end of the season. But the country would have witnessed another last day dramatic finale had Sulom not been involved in a Super League fixture and national team schedule mix up with FAM.
This resulted in Wanderers and Escom United losing six and three points respectively for failing to fulfil their fixtures. Otherwise, the two teams would have fought for honours up to the last day of the campaign.
Silver Strikers were the first team to defend the TNM championship title in the 2009/2010 season, which they also won on the last day of the campaign. They drew 1-1 with Wanderers, shattering Escom’s hopes, who only managed a 2-0 win over Moyale in a game they needed a six-goal margin victory to win the league.
Last season, Escom also won the championship on the closing day of the league after beating Moyale 2-1 whereas Silver strikers missed the party with a 2-1 home defeat to Wanderers.
So, the tight end is back and closer than ever on Saturday. It is a three-horse race with Silver Strikers, Escom United and Wanderers FC all in contention.
On paper, Escom have the greater chance to grab the title. They have 47 points and play Silver who have 45 points on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium. A win for Escom will earn them the title regardless of its margin. Silver will win the league if they beat Escom and pray that Nomads do not beat Moyale by a 20-goal margin, which is unrealistic.
Silver have a 31-goal difference against Wanderers’ 11. Wanderers, who also have 45 points can only win the league if they win against Moyale and pray that Silver and Escom draw.
“This just shows how the investment by TNM in the past six years has done to our league. Before TNM, champions were decided weeks before the end.
“People have been saying the league standards have gone down, but how do you justify that when teams struggle to defend the league and only win it on the last day of the competition?” Sulom general secretary Williams Banda asked.
