All Matchweek 18 action unpacked
Title chasers FCB Nyasa Big Bullets made work easy for themselves as they opened up a 4 point gap at the top of the log table following a resounding 3-0 home victory over Dedza Dynamos on Saturday afternoon.
Bullets took advantage of the closest challengers Mighty Wanderers’ absence from league action to consolidate their grip at the top as a Chikumbutso Salima man of the match performance inspired the people’s team to their 14th win of the season under coach Peter Mponda.
Salima scored the opener, then turned provider for Chawananga Gumbo’s goal before seeing his goal bound shot deflected into the net by Dedza defender David Habu.
That win means the people’s team now have accumulated 43 points from 18 games having won 14,drawn once and lost 3 times.
They have shown early signs of their intention to reclaim the championship which was wrestled away from them by Silver Strikers last season.
As for Dedza that defeat has just compounded more misery on a team that is fighting tooth and nail to avoid relegation as they currently occupy position 12 with 21 points from 18 games, just 5 points above the drop zone.
In Saturday’s other results, Ekhaya’s poor run of form in the second round continued as they were humbled 2-1 by MAFCO FC at Champion stadium in Mponela.
Ekhaya were the busiest team during the mid-season transfer window signing goalkeeper Joshua Waka from Blue Eagles and midfielders Moses Banda and Blessings Malinda from Civo United in big money transfer moves but results have now eluded Enos Chatama’s boys in all of their 3 second round matches played so far.
They have since lost base with the top 4 teams as they currently occupy position 6 with 26 points from 18 games and lie 7 points adrift of position 4.
For MAFCO though, victory was all what they needed to increase their chances of surviving relegation and those 3 points have seen move to position 10 on the log table with 21 points from 18 games.
At Civo Stadium, Civil Service United’s impressive run in the league continued as a Lloyd Mugala 90th minute own goal handed Abbas Makawa’s men all the 3 points over city rivals Kamuzu Barracks who are struggling for consistency this season. Victory for Civil ensured that they have reached the 30 point mark at this stage of the season with 12 games left to play whilst for Kamuzu Barracks, defeat has left them stuck on position 8 with25 points from 18 games.
Action in week 18 continued on Sunday as former Blue Eagles coach Eliah Kananji came face to face with his former employers at Aubrey Dimba Stadium where his Creck sporting side welcomed the area 30 police based side.
2 quick first half goals from either side settled the matters as both teams walked away with a point following a 1-1 draw.
Lanken Mwale had put the visitors ahead just after 5 minutes but that lead was short-lived as Frank Phiri levelled the matters 7 minutes later and that’s how the match would finish at the blow of the final whistle.
In Chitipa, goals from Zenga Manda and Raphael Nkhoma were enough to gift hosts Chitipa United all the 3 points over strugglers Moyale FC.
Following their win, Chitipa now occupy position 9 with 22 points from 18 games while as for Moyale it’s not looking good at all for Pritchard Mwansa’s boys who currently occupy position 13 just 3 points above the drop zone.
Sunday’s pick of the action was at Karonga stadium which played host to the Karonga Derby.
Fourth placed Karonga United welcomed their rock bottom neighbours Songwe Border in a game Songwe badly needed a result to stand any slender chances of surviving the chop this season.
It was however never meant to be for Christopher Nyambose’s Songwe United as they succumbed to an Antony Mfune first half strike to record their 16th defeat of the season.
For Karonga, that win guaranteed them of a top 4 spot at least by the close of Matchweek 18 action.
For Songwe, the clock is now ticking. Their days in the elite league are being number as the search for their first win in the league continues. As it stands they risk becoming recorder breakers of being the first team to finish the season without a win in the top flight league.
