With Mighty Wanderers having sealed the TNM Super League title, as the season winds up this afternoon, the focus will be on FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and dethroned champions Silver Strikers, who will battle for the bridesmaid role in their respective last matches.
At stake is K40 million for the runners-up while the third-placed team will get K30 million.
The two teams are tied on 63 points, but Bullets have a superior goal difference of plus four.
The People’s Team host Mzuzu City Hammers at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre while the Bankers face Blue Eagles at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe.
It will be the first match for Bullets’ interim coach Gilbert Chirwa, who took charge following the departure of his former boss Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda.
In a pre-match interview, the Bullets legend said they will fight for a win.
“We will try our best to win the match so that we finish second, but we do not expect an easy match considering Hammers’ current situation as they have nothing to lose,” said Chirwa.
However, the 17-time champions will be without some of their regulars such as Blessings Mpokera, Chrispin Mapemba and Mike Mkwate, who are nursing injuries while Yankho Singo is serving a two yellow cards’ suspension.
Nevertheless, they will be welcoming back their forward Babatunde Adepoju from suspension after missing last Sunday’s encounter against Mighty Tigers.
The gangly striker is in hot contention for the golden boot with teammate Chikumbutso Salima as they are tied on 13 goals going into the final match.
On the other hand, Hammers’ survival in the top-flight league is in serious doubt as they need to beat Bullets by a deluge of goals.
That is not all. The Mzuzu-based side, which has 28 points, will also be hoping that Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, who are a step above them with 31 points and Mafco FC, who are 12th with the same number of points, will lose by wide margins.
Hammers’ goal difference is at minus 19 while Dynamos and Mafco have minus nine and minus seven, respectively.
Their coach Elias Chirambo conceded that their survival chances are very slim.
“It is no longer in our hands, but we will still fight to the end and see what happens,” he said.
Meanwhile, Silver coach Peter ‘Shoes’ Mgangira said their focus is not a second-place finish.
He said: “We want to win this match because it will be a ‘thank you’ to our fans for their support throughout the season.
“We want to finish on a good note. Whether we finish second or third is not of great importance. We just want to win.”
Meanwhile, Wanderers have said they are yearning for a win against Kamuzu Barracks (KB) at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe this afternoon to spice up their crowning moment.
The Nomads had the luxury of sealing the title with a game to spare last Sunday when they thrashed Mzuzu-based Malawi Defence Force (MDF) side Moyale Barracks 6-0 and are assured of K100 million champions’ purse.
In an interview yesterday, coach Bob Mpinganjira said while the title is already in the bag, a win would brighten up their moment of glory.
He said: “Winding up with a win will liven up the occasion because it is supposed to be a celebration day. So, we will not take a casual approach, we will go all out.”
The Nomads gaffer also said he expects a tough match.
“They [KB] are one of the teams eyeing the top eight, so we expect them to come flat out,” he said.
The Nomads have 68 points while the Lilongwe-based MDF trails them by 30 points on 10th position.
KB coach Nicholas Mhango was not available for comment yesterday.
