Tight race at top of TNM Super League table
At position 10, TNM Super League champions Nyasa Big Bullets have a tough task to defend their title as they are 11 points down against the current leaders Blue Eagles.
Bullets have 16 points from 10 games played of four wins, four draws and two losses while the leaders Blue Eagles enjoy the summit with 25 points from 11 games of eight wins, one draw and two losses.
Coming second are Silver Strikers with 23 points from 11 games of seven wins, two draws and two losses while Mafco are third with 22 points from 12 games of six wins, four draws and two losses.
Mafco tie on 22 points with fellow soldiers Kamuzu Barracks, who have played more games at 14 in which they won six, drew four and also lost four.
The defending champions Bullets have found themselves in this awkward position after being on a three-week break when they contributed a bulk of their players for national duty during the Flames’ engagement in June for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe and the Cosafa Cup in Namibia, where they were ousted after their three group qualifying games.
When they came back the other contenders had already gained ground.
Their arch rivals Mighty Be Forward Wanderers were also affected by the Flames’ engagements. They are on position nine with 17 points from 10 games of four wins, five draws and one loss.
Big Bullets host rookies Max Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium on Wednesday, July 20, while Wanderers face Wizards FC at Kamuzu Stadium this Saturday.
Wizards are on position 13 with 12 points from 11 games of three wins, three draws and five losses while Max Bullets are at the bottom of the 16-team log table with four points from no win, four draw and eight losses.
The leaders Blue Eagles travel to Dwangwa on Sunday to meet third-placed Mafco FC at Chitowe Stadium, a day after 2nd-placed Silver Strikers meet Dwangwa United at the same venue.
The other fixture for the weekend is that between 12th-placed Red Lions with 13 points from 12 games of four wins, one draw and seven losses against Mzuni FC (position 7 with 20 points from Mzuni 12 games of six wins, two draws and four losses) at Zomba Community Centreon Saturday.
Meanwhile, Mafco’s Richard Mbulu scored two goals when his team beat rookies Karonga United 5-0 last weekend to add his tally of goals to eight and become the leading scorer.
A total of 222 goals have been scored from 95 matches played with Mbulu at eight and Manasseh Chiyesa (Kamuzu Barracks) and Anthony Banda (Epac FC) tying at seven.
At six goals there is Kuda Muyaba (Moyale), Peter Wadabwa (Mighty Be Forward Wanderers) and Chiukepo Msowoya (Nyasa Big Bullets).
With four goals are Gilbert Chirwa, Maxwell Salambula (both for Blue Eagles), Moses Nankumba (Red Lions), Harvey Mkacha (Kamuzu Barracks), Yamikani Chester, Bright Munthali (Azam Tigers), Nelson Kangunje (Civo United), Lughindiko Mushani (Mzuni FC), Binwell Katinji (Silver Strikers) and Gastin Simkonda (Moyale).
So far, four players have scored hat-tricks — Mighty Be Forward Wanderers striker Peter Wadabwa, Anthony Banda of (Epac FC), Gastin Simkonda (Moyale) and Maxwell Salambula (Blue Eagles).
Kamuzu Barracks lead with most goals scored at 25). Nyasa Big Bullets can take pride to be the one with strongest defence as they just conceeded seven goals from 10 matches.
Rookies MTV Max Bullets have found the going tough and remain winless after playing 12 matches while Karonga United have let in the most goals at 23 and managing to score only four goals from 12 matches.
Meanwhile, Gilbert Chirwa of Blue Eagles was player of the month of April while Lughindiko Mushani of Mzuni FC was for May.
The following is how they stand:
1. Blue Eagles 11 8 1 2 20 12 25
2. Silver strikers 11 7 2 2 17 8 23
3. Mafco 12 6 4 2 22 13 22
4. K. Barracks 14 6 4 4 25 17 22
5. Moyale 13 6 3 4 22 16 21
6. Azam Tigers 13 5 5 3 13 8 20
7. Mzuni 12 6 2 4 11 9 20
8. Epac 13 6 1 6 15 14 19
9. Wanderers 10 4 5 1 15 10 17
10. Nyasa BB 10 4 4 2 12 7 16
11. Civo Utd 13 4 3 6 10 17 15
12. Red Lions 12 4 1 7 12 17 13
13. Wizards 11 3 3 5 7 10 12
14. Dwangwa 11 1 3 7 8 19 6
15. Karonga Utd 12 1 3 8 4 23 6
16. Max Bullets 12 0 4 8 9 22 4
please Duncan many thanks for this up date. SULOM we want this kind of up date and then kumapeto kwake ka log table ngakhale the fixtures are not yet normalised. we deserve to know the fixtures at the beginning of the week sinanga paja you failed to produce a full fixture for the whole season. sitimalowa ulere magame anu we pay so we need to plan for them financially otherwise we will end up paying sitete, sicheche and the like. I wonder what are you (SULOM) still there if you fail to produce a fixture.
tithandizeni okonda mpirafe
Zoonadi, thus y sometimes we lose interest in our local footbal coz everythng zimachitika like angodzuka kutulo, zosalongosoka ata mpangóno. Nice coment above.
SURE TITHANDIZENI KUDZIWA BWINO ZA MPIRA WATHU PA MALAWI….BB UCHAMPION WATITIMILA APA..