Derby fever grips Lilongwe
Lilongwe will once again be the centre of football attention this afternoon as Civo United host Silver Strikers in a must-watch Capital City TNM Super League derby.
While Civo are barely fighting for their lives, lying on unfamiliar 12th position with 20 points, Silver have only the league to massage their pride, battered by two cup final defeats this season.
Last weekend’s win over Kamuzu Barracks suggested that Civo are just capable of inflicting misery on any opponent. The Bankers, lying sixth on 28 points from 18 games, better step up their gear.
This derby is among nine league games that could shape the championship chasing pack and cement relegation candidates’ place down the 15-member ladder.
With 34 points and two points ahead of second-placed Blue Eagles who are on bye this weekend, Red Lions can break clearer provided they beat Mighty Wanderers in Balaka today.
The Lions have never had it easy with the newly crowned Standard Bank Knockout Trophy kings who knocked them out in the semi-final of the cup three weeks ago.
A win for Wanderers could put their dream for a double on track while granting third-placed Big Bullets, who host Evirom today at Kamuzu Stadium, an opportunity to displace Eagles on third and slice Lions’ cushion to just a point.
The stadium might witness a thriller; a battle for Ndirande Township bragging rights as Bullets and Evirom both consider the popular township as their stronghold. Evirom are second off the bottom on 17 points with survival in the league proving to be a tall order.
Evirom’s day could depend on the recovery in time of skipper Harold Zulu who limped off after scoring in last week’s 1-0 beating of Blantyre United. Bullets could welcome Brown Mizeye while Heston Munthali is a huge injury doubt.
Defender Chiku Kanyenda is optimistic about a win, but admits that it will not be a stroll on the park since they are opponents from the same neighbourhood.
Perhaps the team with more chances of going top is fourth-positioned Kamuzu Barracks who have 31 points and face Moyale Barracks and Mzuzu United today and tomorrow at Mzuzu Stadium.
At the tail end on 11 points, Mzuzu will go down fighting in their remaining seven games to the finish line.
