Nomads, Lions size each other up ahead of cup tie
Unpredictable Mighty Wanderers and Zomba based marauding lions- Red Lions will on Saturday, July 27 size each other up in a TNM Super League affair at Balaka Stadium, three weeks before the two teams line up against each other in the Carlsberg Cup round-of-16 phase at the lions’ den of Zomba Community Centre ground.
The two teams, who also met in the Presidential Cup quarterfinals at Kamuzu Stadium last month were paired against one another in the Carlsberg Cup last 16 phase, which will also see giants Big Bullets and Silver Strikers coming face to face at the giant stadium in Blantyre.
Before the Nomads and Lions square up in the cup competition on August 17 or 18, coaches Stewart Mbolembole for Wanderers and his counterpart Mike Kumanga have a chance to gauge each other’s strength on Saturday
as the teams battle for maxim points in the national league.
Wanderers, who are serving a 10-game ban from playing at Kamuzu Stadium as their home base go into the tie with a lot of mixed fortunes, having done all the good and bad things on the playing field.
Just last week, the Nomads wrote history for themselves, becoming the first team this season to beat Azam Tigers, who had gone seven games without defeat in the league.
But before that historical victory, the Nomads had suffered two consecutive home defeats at the hands of Blue Eagles (2-1) and Kamuzu Barracks (3-0).
Such is the unpredictable nature of the Nomads, who might also go into the books of history as the first team to beat Red Lions in the league this season should they manage victory at Balaka Stadium.
As the Nomads attempt to dent the Lions’ record, wounded defending champions Silver Strikers, who withdrew blank cheques from the south last week will be out to panel-beat their tattered image as they take on Blantyre United at Civo Stadium on Saturday.
The two teams last met towards the end of last season, when the bankers crashed the Blantyre boys 5-0.
In another Super League match Saturday, Big Bullets take on strugglers Mzuzu United at Kamuzu Stadium- where the odds are heavily stuck against the visitors from northern region.
