With the TNM Super League title race done and dusted, the focus shifts to the battle for the runners-up slot between arch-rivals Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, who are second, and third-placed FCB Nyasa Bullets.
Silver Strikers sealed the title with two games to spare on Saturday after beating MightyMukuru Wanderers 1-0 and will cart home a cool K100 million champions’ purse while the runners-up will get K40 million.
The Nomads, who have 54 points from 28 matches, five points adrift of the dethroned champions, are away to Creck Sporting Club at Aubrey Dimba Stadium in Mchinji this afternoon.
On the other hand, the People’s Team is up against Karonga United at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Technically, a point from their remaining two games could see the Nomads finishing second on goal aggregate, but their acting coach Bob Mpinganjira said in an interview that they will fight for all the points on offer.
He said: “Having missed the title, we need to do our best to finish second. It won’t heal the pain of missing the title, but at least it could give the Wanderers family some solace.
“But it won’t be easy against Creck at their backyard. We played them in a Castel [Challenge] Cup match recently, which we won [4-1] through penalties after playing out a one-all draw in regulation time and we anticipate another tough match.
“Our preparations are on-going, but we look forward to the match.”
Creck Sporting interim coach Joseph Kamwendo, whose team is ninth with 38 points, also said they anticipate a tough match.
The former Nomad said: “At the start of the season, our target was to finish in the top eight, but looking at the table, things are not looking that good and we need to win both our remaining matches to achieve that.
“It certainly won’t be easy against Wanderers, but we want it more than them.”
The Nomads won the first round encounter 3-0.
On the race for second position, Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa said they will play to win.
“Whatever result we get at the end of the day, we accept and move on until the end of the season, but we are trying our level best to fight for second position,” he said.
Meanwhile, Silver coach Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda has said edespite sealing the title, they will not ease down a gear as they look to winding up the league on a high.
The Bankers, who are unbeaten with 64 points, face relegation-threatened Fomo FC at Mulanje Park Stadium this afternoon.
But the Silver gaffer said in an interview yesterday they will not take their foot off the gas pedal.
He said: “We are going full throttle. We are done with celebrating our first title in 11 years. Elsewhere in places such as Bwandilo, the celebrations are still going on, but for the team, it’s time to get back to business.
“We are not going to underrate Fomo because they want to avoid relegation, but my players are true professionals, I have seen the way they are conducting themselves even after winning the league.”
His Fomo counterpart Elvis Kafoteka, whose side is third from the bottom with 25 points from 28 matches, said they are taking a game at a time, starting with Silver before wrapping up against Karonga United on Saturday at home.
“Both our matches are crucial and we need to win at all cost. We are not looking at others to do us a favour,” he said.
