Newcomers Masters FC stand proudly as the only side with a 100 percent winning record in the FDH Bank Premiership after three rounds of matches.
On Monday, the Lilongwe-based outfit beat fellow newcomers Luanar Mitundu 2-0 at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe to go top of the 16-team log-table with nine points from three straight victories.
They have displaced FCB Nyasa Bullets, who are tied on seven points with third-placed Civil Service United, but are separated by goal difference.
However, Masters coach Peter Mponda, whose side bought Karonga-based Baka FC’s slot in the elite league, yesterday played down their impressive start, saying they are not there yet.
| Courtesy of M
Apart from beating Mitundu, Masters also saw off Karonga United 1-2 away and Chitipa United 1-0 at home.
“Everyone is surprised with our start, but honestly there is nothing special to brag about. We should not lie,” said Mponda.
“When people are talking about Masters being on top of the table, it’s not something I want to make a fuss about because we have only played three games and we have a long way to go. I am also far from being impressed with our performance.”
He said their target was to beat Chitipa at home and secure draws against Karonga and Mitundu, but they were surprised to have won all the three matches.
But Masters FC chief executive officer Kevin Moyo attributed their superb form to Mponda’s abilities and the motivation the players get from the club’s sponsor and management.
“As a club, we recruited one of the best coaches locally and we enjoy good support from the sponsor and management. Nevertheless, while we enjoy the moment, we should bear in mind that the league is a marathon as there is still a long way to go,” he said.
However, Mponda’s track record shows that he is a coach who brings good results and is capable of turning Masters into a formidable side in the top league.
At the three teams he has coached so far, he has not lost the first three games.
With Bullets last season, he helped the ‘People’s Team’ to finish second with 21 wins, three draws and six defeats. At Silver Strikers in 2024, he guided the Central Bankers to their first league title in 11 years after registering 19 wins, 10 draws and a single loss.
In total, at Bullets and Silver he registered 40 wins, 13 draws and seven losses in 60 league games.
Meanwhile, this season, newcomers have made a good start in the elite league as compared to the past when promoted teams were the whipping boys.
Masters, Red Lions and Mitundu are within the top-seven bracket in the 16-team elite league. While Masters top the league, Lions, who are unbeaten, are sixth with five points from three outings and Mitundu are seventh with four points from the same number of games.
On Monday, Masters scored through former Silver Strikers hit-man Stain Davie in the 29th minute and Leo Jachikho’s own goal in the 67th minute.
Soccer analyst Parry Chinyama yesterday said the newcomers’ good form could be partly linked to their participation in the inaugural NBS National Division League, which last season replaced regional leagues as the country’s second-tier football league.
He said: “To some extent, we can say that the NDL has revolutionised the performance of teams. It’s the setup of the NDL, which slightly mirrors the image of the elite league. The league finished in time, allowing promoted teams to prepare well for the top league.
“However, these teams should not be carried away with their current form because the top league heats up. We saw that last season with Ekhaya. They did well in the first games before struggling along the way. In a nutshell, the league has started on a good note.”
