Scores to settle in Airtel Top 8 second legs
There will be scores to settle this weekend as the Airtel Top 8 quarter-finals second legs take centre stage at Chitowe Stadium in Dwangwa, Nkhotakota.
Mighty Wanderers will be aiming at upsetting the tables when they take on Moyale Barracks having lost 1-0 in the first leg at their backyard Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre a fortnight ago.
On the other hand, the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) outfit has to finish the job they started when Lloyd Njaliwa displayed his class and form, scoring the lone goal in a tightly contested tie.
The second leg promises not to be different from the first leg, if not even much exciting as the Nomads aim at correcting the mistakes they made in the first leg while Moyale want to continue from where they stopped.
Nomads coach Bob Mpinganjira’s job is under pressure from the fans who bayed for his blood following the first leg loss.
Mpinganjira said while they were aware of the pressure from the supporters, the match is just like any other.
Having joined the Nomads’ camp on Thursday after returning from national team duty, Bob will rely on his assistant and brother Albert, who was with the team in his absence.
While the pressure is on Wanderers, matches like these are capable of swaying the other way and Moyale assistant coach Pritchard Mwansa is aware of the consequences of reading too much into the first leg victory.
He said: “We will play as if we never won the first leg.”
Once Wanderers and Moyale have settled their scores, it will be Nyasa Big Bullets and Mafco’s turn tomorrow at the same venue.
Bullets go into the match with an advantage, having won 3-1 in the first leg at Kamuzu Stadium.
But again, they are not assured of the semi-final spot—not with Mafco having managed an away goal that could prove vital.
Mafco coach Yohane Fulaye said the trick is to avoid conceding at all cost.
“We worked on our shortfalls from the last match. We conceded three goals and this time we will not allow that. The best way to defend is to attack so we will be on the offensive,” he said.
On his part, Bullets coach Callisto Pasuwa said: “Mafco are a good side, enough respect to them. Remember we have been struggling against them and we are not going there with the mentality that we are leading
