Tough missions for relegation fighters
From the start, Super League relegation battlers have never taken time to rest. Theirs has been a story of toil and frustration and it might get worse this afternoon as they face tough hurdles.
Rooted two places from bottom, Dedza Young Soccer host Lilongwe giants Blue Eagles who will also clash with another survival struggling outfit Epac United on Sunday.
Dedza, widely known for their porous defending, performed with rare solidity to earn a point against league leaders Big Bullets last Sunday.
Though Dedza coach Milias Jegwe-Pofera believes they can sustain such performances, he acknowledges that Eagles will provide a stern test to his troops.
“This is a must win game,” he said. “But in Blue Eagles we will face a team that is unpredictable in terms of their style.”
Pofera said the only way to tame the Malawi Police Service (MPS) side is to avoid conceding unnecessarily: “Our problem has been surrendering avoidable goals. If we stop this then survival is within our reach.”
Meanwhile, Eagles assistant coach Wilson Chidati fears their relegation bound opponents Epac and Dedza would be so determined to collect three points.
“The relegation fighters are the most dangerous teams at this point. They always want to win for them to survive,” he said. “We need to be outstanding to be victorious.”
Dedza have 20 points from 22 games and occupy position 13 while Epac, with 19 points from the same number of matches, sit on position 14.
In another tussle, bottom of the table Fisd Wizards will have their own cause for bother at Kalulu Stadium in Nchalo, Chikwawa today. They host fifth placed Kamuzu Barracks who have been a revelation this season.
Having collected 15 points from 21 matches, Fisd technical director Peter Mponda feels the turnover has not been convincing but he hopes to survive.
“We are treating each game with the same level of seriousness and Kamuzu Barracks is no exception. All we need are points to remain in the top-flight,” said Mponda.
Mzuni FC might be out of relegation zone owing to their superior goal difference but the weekend schedule, which pits them with Be Forward Wanderers at Mzuzu Stadium, does not suit their desperate situation either.
The nomads may have been misfiring in league games this season but their 2-1 win over second placed Mafco last Saturday, may as well have powered them into redemption.
However, in Mzuni, Wanderers may find a resisting opponent considering that the university side has roped in former Flames coach Kinnah Phiri as technical director.
The chairman of the Mzuzu based side chairperson Albert Mtungambera Harawa hoped that the arrival of the former Bullets trainer would boost the players’ fragile ahead of the nomads clash.
“Our confidence has been running low because of the losses we have been suffering. However, we feel that Kinnah will be able to motivate the players with his vast technical expertise,” he said.
As per rules, after all the teams have played 28 matches, the bottom three teams will be relegated to regional leagues while three teams from the lower divisions will be promoted.
