Mafco still in driver’s seat
The chase for the TNM Super League title continues to drive soccer fans through a bewildering gut of emotions and looks certain to go right down to the wire.
Hottest contenders Mafco and Silver Strikers bagged full points yesterday to keep their title hopes firmly on the boil.
Mafco turned on a vintage second-half display to beat fallen giants Big Bullets 2-0 at Chitowe in Dwangwa to remain at the summit of the table with 48 points from 27 games whereas the Bankers continued to breathe down their necks with a 6-0 demolition of bottom of the table Mzuzu United at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe.
Silver trail Mafco by just a single point on 47with a game in hand.
Moyale also kept their title hopes alive with a 2-0 win over fellow troops Red Lions at Zomba Community Centre Ground. Moyale are now third with 44 points from 26 games.
In Dwangwa, precisely whatever pep talk delivered by Mafco coach Sterio Gondwe, remains firmly in classified category, but they turned on a spectacular show and just three minutes after recess, they took the lead through Richard Mbulu, but beauty lay in its creation by Maurice Chiumia who diplayed sheer brilliance on the right before curving the ball to Mbulu to provide the final flourish.
In the 65th minute, Saidi Mtekama claimed the second after being fed by Calisto Kalinda.
Gondwe said he was happy that his troops kept their nerve in the quest for the title.
His Bullets counterpart Gerald Phiri Snr admited that their flickering title hopes have now been blown away.
“We cannot even compete for the second and third position, maybe fourth or even fifth. I think we have a very big problem because how we are performing during training is totally different from the actual game,” said Phiri.
Bullets are on eighth position with 37 points from 26 games.
Silver comfortably led 4-0 at half time before adding two more in the second half.
Frank Banda, Thoko Stambuli, Green Harawa and Blessings Tembo scored one each for The Bankers while wonderkid Chawanangwa Kaonga struck twice.
In Zomba, Chamveka Gwetsani and Gastin Simkonda were on target for Moyale.
Kamuzu Barracks also piled pressure on the top three teams with a 2-1 win over Mponela United who were relegated. Harvey Nkacha and Manase Chiyesa scored for KB whereas Mude Geoffrey hit one back for Mponela.
KB are on fourth position with 44 points just like Moyale, but are betrayed by their inferior goal difference.
Statistically, Silver stand a good chance of winning the league for a third time in a row if they can win one of their remaining games against either Evirom or Mighty Wanderers as they have an impressive 20 goal difference.
