Mafco halt Lions
The crazy 2013 TNM Super League championship race continued yesterday with no outright title favourite yet in sight despite most teams having five games each to go.
This was the case after big-hearted Mafco yesterday prevented leaders Red Lions from restoring a five-point cushion at the summit of the TNM Super League.
Mafco defeated the Zomba-based soldiers 2-0, leaving the latter to cling precariously at the top by a point.
Calista Kalinda and Richard Mbulu’s strikes made sure of a three-match Chitowe Stadium winning streak for Mafco as they sprung two steps up to second place on 39 points from 24 games, one point behind the Lions.
The Presidential Cup kings Mafco displaced holders Silver Strikers who lost 1-0 at Nankhaka to Schumacher Kuwali’s solitary strike for Blue Eagles yesterday.
Silver climbed down to third on 38 points from 23 games as of yesterday. The Eagles were fifth on 37 points collected from 23 matches.
The Bankers could further slide depending on how fourth-positioned Mighty Wanderers, who have 37 points from 22 games, fare at Balaka Stadium against Moyale Barracks today. The Kaning’ina Lions have 35 points from 22 matches.
At the Kalulu Stadium, Gerald Phiri’s reign as Big Bullets head coach started yesterday with a 1-1 draw against Blantyre United at Kalulu Stadium where Tizgobele Kumwenda scored for the Elia Kananji-side and Diverson Mlozi netted for the Peoples Team; his fourth in three consecutive matches.
The stalemate puts Bullets temporarily a step up to position five on 36 points from 23 games whereas United, who had Kumwenda’s second-half effort ruled offside, remain 11th on 29 points from 23 matches.
The Bullets featured Vincent Gona in goals whereas Sankhani Mkandawire missed the match through illness, paving the way for Chiku Kanyenda.
In a post-match interview monitored on Radio 2 FM, Kananji was unhappy with yesterday’s officiation, saying “what I know is that we have won 2-1 but the referee has decided that it should be 1-1.”
Civo United remain on precarious 13th place, just a step away from the drop zone on 25 points from 22 games after being held 0-0 by Azam Tigers at Dedza Stadium. The Kau Kau as of yesterday rose to seventh from eighth place on 35 points collected in 23 games.
