National Sports

BB face Bt Utd in battle for top slot

Big Bullets this afternoon face one of the teams that gives them problems—Blantyre United—in a battle for the TNM Super League top slot.

Separated by two points, with Bullets at the helm with 37 points, the winners of the encounter set for Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo, will go into week 20 as leaders.

Both teams are coming from convincing wins last weekend with Bullets beating Bvumbwe Research 2-0 while United denied Red Lions a chance to go top after beating them 3-2 to leave them stuck on fifth position with 34 points.

Bullets coach Eddington Ng’onamo said he would like to break United league jinx and open the vital five point gap.

“The boys realise the importance of this game. We need to extend the gap at the top because the other teams have games in hand,” said Ng’onamo.

His United counterpart Eliah Kananji said the aim is to win the league and as such they are not in the mood to drop points.

“Last season we were in the top three just like now, but we lost the plot towards the end and finished seventh. This time around we’ll be on guard.

“Our target is to win the league and to achieve that, you have to beat the best and Bullets being leaders are one of them. Our previous dominance over them in the league does not count now; this is totally a different game altogether,” said Kananji.

The centre of attraction in today’s game will be winger Dalitso Sailesi who is set to make his debut for Bullets against his former club.

Sailesi was loaned to Bullets in October, but only joined the team last week following a protracted wrangle over his services between the People’s Team and Tigers.

For Bullets they have all their armoury available with top striker Gabadinho Mhango, who refused to travel with Flames to Uganda for the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup due to academic commitments, in top form.

Gabadinho scored a hat-trick in their last match against United and will be looking to replicate that form today just like his striking partners Heston Munthali and Diverson Mlozi who were on fire in the Standard Bank Knockout Cup encounter.

Bullets’ weak link this afternoon could be the midfield as they will be without the inspirational duo of Chimango Kayira and James Chilapondwa. Kayira is with the Flames in Uganda while Chilapondwa is serving a red-card suspension.

For United, the centre of focus will be captain Jimmy ‘Modise’ Chikulekule who has been the team’s driving force in their last three games which they all won by 3-2 margins.

With seven goals and fourth on the league’s leading scorers chart, Brown ‘Fisi Matama’ Mizeyi needs no introduction to the Bullets family. He has scored in almost every game against Bullets and could prove to be a headache once again today. Victor Limbani and Sparrow Msowoya are the other key players to watch.

Mzuzu Stadium will host the Mzuzu derby as Moyale face city rivals Kabwafu. Moyale are without four key players and coach Nicholas Mhango who are attending a military course at the Malawi Armed Forces College in Salima.

The players are Misheck Zgambo, Ernest Zimba, Dave Chisambi and Lovemore Mitengo.

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