Civil Sporting move further up: Malawi’s TNM Super League
After drawing 1-1 with Azam Tigers last weekend, Civil Sporting moved one step up the 2017 TNM Super League season from position four to three and they finish their first round assignments this weekend when they date current leaders Silver Strikers at Civo Stadium on Sunday.
Civil Sporting, a merger between last season’s demoted team Civo United and Epac, have made tremendous strides by now moving from position nine they were a fortnight ago to four last and now at position three.
They have 22 points from 14 games of six wins, four draws and four losses.
The current leaders, Silver, might be dislodged on Wednesday if second-placed Mighty Be Forward Wanderers beat Moyale Barracks at Balaka Stadium while Bullets might overtake Civil Stadium if they beat Red Lions at MDC Stadium also on Wednesday.
Silver Strikers have 29 points from 13 games of eight wins and five draws and they are yet to lose a match with two games left to wrap up the first round.
Wanderers are second with 28 points from 12 games of nine wins, 1 draw and two losses while Bullets perch on five with 21 points from 12 games of six wins, three draws and three losses.
The race is tight for the first round leadership as Moyale tie on 22 points with Civil Sporting while Blue Eagles tie on 21 points with Big Bullets.
Red Lions, Bullets’ opponents on Wednesday at MDC Stadium, are on position seven with 19 points from 13 of five wins, four draws and four losses while Wanderers’ opponents, Moyale, are 4th.
On Saturday, Nyasa Big Bullets date Lilongwe-based 11th-placed Mafco at MDC Stadium while leaders Silver Strikers meet Civil Sporting at Civo Stadium on Sunday. Runners-up Mighty Wanderers meet Mzuni on Sunday.
Last season’s champions Kamuzu Barracks, keep on struggling as they are on position 11 with 18 points from 14 games and they host 8th-placed Wizards at Civo Stadium on Saturday.
Dubbed, Leicester City of Malawi after the English Premier League side who failed to make their mark in the next season after clinching the Premiership title two seasons ago, Kamuzu Barracks have won just five matches, drew three and lost six games.
They were beaten 3-0 by fellow strugglers — 15th-placed Dwangwa United last weekend.
They now remain with just one game — against Wizards — to wrap up their first round and the best they can achieve in the next round is fight to be in the top eight to compete for the lucrative Airtel Top 8 Cup at the end of the season.
Other games are Blue Eagles v Moyale at Nankhaka on Saturday while on Sunday, Red Lions host fellow soldiers Mafco at Balaka Stadium.
How they stand
(The number in brackets is for last season’s position and the P is for promoted teams):
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1. (3) Silver Strikers 13 8 5 0 19 5 14 29
2. (6) Wanderers 12 9 1 2 14 5 9 28
3. (11) Civil Sporting14 6 4 4 24 16 8 22
4. (7) Moyale 13 6 4 3 12 12 0 22
5. (2) Nyasa Bullets12 6 3 3 12 6 6 21
6. (4) Blue Eagles14 5 6 3 15 12 3 21
7. (10) Red Lions 13 5 4 4 17 13 4 19
8. (13) Wizards 14 5 4 5 13 13 0 19
9. (8) Azam Tigers 14 4 6 4 20 16 4 18
10. (1) K. Barracks14 5 3 6 15 17 -2 18
11. (5) Mafco 13 5 3 5 12 17 -5 18
12. (P) Masters Security15 4 5 6 19 22 -3 17
13. (9) Mzuni 14 4 4 6 15 15 0 16
14. (P) Blantyre Utd15 3 2 10 18 27 -9 11
15. (12) Dwangwa Utd 15 3 2 10 13 27 -14 11
16. (P) Chitipa Utd15 3 2 10 12 27 -15 11
tidzakwela inu acivil lamulungulino pa civo