From 13th position to African Champions League participation, case of Malawi’s Masters Security FC
In just their debut appearance in Malawi’s top flight TNM Super League, Masters Security have taken a bold and an ambitious step by registering for the 2018 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Confederation Cup and were drawn against Atletico Petroleos of Angola in the preliminary round.
And they had all the confidence despite that they were on the precarious relegation zone which they have now just escaped from.
They are 13th and they are saved from relegation since they are seven points clear of 14th-placed Wizards FC. Masters have 37 points with three games remaining while Wizards have 30 with two matches left to play.
The team’s owner Alfred Gangata seemed perturbed with being paired against a tough side from Angola, telling Nyasa Times this week that ‘playing the best teams’ is part and parcel of competing in the continental tournament.
All eyes will be on Masters Security FC on Saturday to see if they can match their ambitious decision to join Africa’s elite when they take on Mighty Be Forward Wanderers at Balaka Stadium.
With four points ahead of their nearest contenders Nyasa Big Bullets, Wanderers just need a win against Masters Security FC to clinch the TNM Super League title that has eluded them for a decade.
So Masters Security are the ones that can put spanners into the Nomads title campaign and hand fellow title contenders Nyasa Big Bullets some hope that should Wanderers also lose their last match against Red Lions after they win both their remaining matches, then they are the champions.
Interestingly, both Wanderers and Masters are in the CAF club championships with Wanderers registered in the Champions League and they date 2014 finalists AS Vita of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
If the Nomads will manage to sail through this tough preliminary round, their next opponents in the second round are winners between El Jadidi and Benefica while if Masters go past Atletico Petroleos they go on to meet South African side SuperSport in the next round.
So the Balaka Town encounter creates a buzz of excitement to see who is better of the two ahead of their continental assignments and if they win, Masters Security definitely will boost up their morale and at the same time win some sympathy from Bullets fans for their home support against Atletico Petroleos in February.
In what is known as Ganyu support, definitely Bullets faithful in Balaka will give their best moral support to Masters and this makes it more intriguing because Bullets definitely want Nomads to falter in the two games left.
At the same time Nomads supporters in Nkhotakota will converge to Chitowe Stadium to support Dwangwa United when they host the Bullets on the same Saturday afternoon.
So, it is a match the Nomads should not take lightly because the TNM Super League rookies — and rated as minnows against the giants — do pull lots of surprises and one of them is their bold step at a shot for continental title.
And a win on Saturday — against such a mighty team as Wanderers — is certainly their biggest morale booster.
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