Super League teams return to action this weekend in match week 10 after a one-week recess which allowed for the senior Malawi national football team to participate at the COSAFA Championship in South Africa.
The two early title contenders (FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers) return to action on Sunday, so we start with Saturday’s action.
Early season surprise packages Ekhaya FC welcomes a resurgent Creck Sporting Club yet to taste defeat since parting ways with head coach Joseph Kamwendo.
Ekhaya are currently occupying third position with 13 points from 7 games, a no mean achievement for a team making its maiden appearance in the top flight league.
Their secret has been not to easily drop points at home and against Creck they might deploy the same strategy.
However, they face a Creck side on a resurrection mission which has seen them win 2 and draw one of their last 3 games since coach Kamwendo was relieved of his duties.
Former Blue Eagles coach Eliah Kananji was unveiled as Kamwendo’s replacement and his first assignment will be taking charge of Saturday’s clash against Ekhaya.
Hopefully he will be dreaming of a perfect start to his new job aiming to impress his masters who have entrusted him to lead the team which he has found on position 9 on the log table.
Saturday’s other fixture involves struggling Civil Service United who welcome MAFCO at home at Civo stadium in Lilongwe.
Action will resume 24 hours later with a number of interesting fixtures spread across the country.
Second placed Mighty Wanderers, straight from their Blantyre derby triumph have a chance of going top when they play away to Kamuzu Barracks at Champion stadium in Mponela on Sunday afternoon but that would only be achieved if results in the FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Tigers don’t go the peoples team way.
Two points separate the 2 Blantyre giants and a win for Wanderers and a draw for Bullets will mean the 2 teams will go level on points while a win for Wanderers and a loss for Bullets would see Wanderers overtake their neighbours by a single point.
The People’s team though will be aiming to bounce back from their derby loss at the hands of their neighbours while at the same time focusing on consolidating their grip at the top of the log table as such any result apart from a win will be totally unacceptable to coach Peter Mponda.
They however face an opponent that has of late has given them real run for their money and Sunday’s clash won’t be a walk in the park.
Leo Mpulula’s charges currently occupy position 11 with 9 points from 7 games.
In Mponela, Mighty Wanderers will be hoping that they maintain their perfect start to the season in which they have won 5 games and drawn once and their confidence levels are sky high as they are coming from a triumphant derby outing.
This Sunday they face a Kamuzu Barracks team which is one of their tough customers either away or at home.
Coach Bob Mpinganjira seem to be slowly discovering a winning formula for the Lali Lubani boys and he will be hoping that his boys build on the season’s early momentum and establish themselves as serious title contenders.
They will have to do that though against a Kamuzu Barracks side currently occupying position 8 with 11 points from 8 games.
In Sunday’s other fixtures, Lilongwe neighbours Blue Eagles and Silver Strikers square up at Nankhaka ground.
Only less than 5 kilometres separate the sides and on the log table they are separated by just 2 places and a meeting between the 2 sides always promises nothing short of fireworks as their rivalry has grown over the years with both teams exchanging players on the transfer market.
The Bankers are on a mission to defend the champion ship which they won last and their performance has been improving by each passing game after a slow start to the season.
In their last outing they comfortably saw off neighbours Civil United 2-0 and that simply shows how strong they are growing by each passing game after their opening weekend 10- defeat to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
In other ties, Moyale Barracks host Chitipa United while Karonga United welcome Mzuzu City Hammers with Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos playing host to winless Songwe Boarder United.
