* The Bankers will meet lower league side, FC Shire at Civo Stadium while the Nomads date fellow TNM Super League side, Mzuzu City Hammers at Rumphi Stadium
* At least Silver are closer home against FC Shire in Lilongwe but Wanderers have to dash to the Capital from Rumphi to defend their runners-up position as they have 39 points — three way from the Bankers, who have 36
By Duncan Mlanjira
Three days after fulfilling their assignments of the Round of 16 FDH Bank Cup 2025 to be played tomorrow, 3rd-placed Silver Strikers host Mighty Wanderers on Sunday in Week 18 of the TNM Super League 2025 — which promises to be a cracker of a game at Silver Stadium.
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The two sides are in another thick of things tomorrow when the Bankers will meet lower league side, FC Shire at Civo Stadium while the Nomads date fellow TNM Super League side, Mzuzu City Hammers at Rumphi Stadium.
At least Silver are closer home against FC Shire in Lilongwe but Wanderers have to dash to the Capital from Rumphi to defend their runners-up position as they have 39 points — three way from the Bankers, who have 36.
Leaders Nyasa Big Bullets with 40 points — whose FDH Bank Cup assignment is on September 20 against lower league side, The Boyz — are at home hosting 9th-placed Dedza Dynamos (21 point) at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday.
The race is tight for the title with 12 games each left to play and it will be interesting to see who can record a 100% winning record by the top teams in the remaining assignments while those in the middle of the pack will be gunning for the top eight to earn a place in the Airtel Top 8 2026.
On Saturday, 6th-placed Ekhaya FC (26 points) are on the road to face MAFCO at Champion Stadium as Creck Sporting Club (10th/20pts) date Blue Eagles (8th/24pts) at Aubrey Dimba Stadium while Civil Service United (5th/27pts) will meet Kamuzu Barracks (7th/25pts) at Civo Stadium.
On Sunday, Chitipa United (11th/19pts) host Moyale (12th/19pts) at Chitipa Stadium; Mzuzu City Hammers (15th/12pts) v Mighty Tigers (14th/16pts) and Karonga United (4th/30pts) v rock bottom of the table Songwe United, who are 16th with two points earned from two draws.
Nyasa Big Bullets’ Babatunde Adepoju leads in the race for the Golden Boot having amassed 11 goals in the 16 matches he was featured and is followed by team mate Chikumbutso Salima with 8 goals from 15 games.
Sharing 7 goals apiece are Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma from 13 matches and Civil Service United’s Dastain Banda from 17 games while in the assists chart, Chikumbutso Salima lead with eight from 15 matches — followed by seven each by Mighty Wanderers Wisdom Mpinganjira and Civil Service United’s Blessings Malinda (now at Ekhaya FC) — both attained from 17 matches.
The Golden Glove race at 8 clean sheets each is between Mighty Wanderers’ Dalitso Khunga (9 matches); Bullets’ Innocent Nyasulu (13); Civil Service United’s Rahamn John 13); Karonga United’s Maclean Mwale (17) and seven apiece by Chitipa United’s Jacob Anyandwile (11), Ekhaya’s Joshua Waka (formerly of Blue Eagles) from 15 games and Silver Strikers international, George Chikooka from 17.
Meanwhile, after the tomorrow’s FDH Bank Cup 2025 Round of 16, it will resume on September 19 when another lower league side, Zingwangwa United will host defending champions Blue Eagles at Mpira Stadium while the next day, September 20, Creck Sporting Club will host Moyale Barracks at Aubrey Dimba Stadium.
After The Boyz v FCB Nyasa Big Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium on September 20, NBS Bank National Division (NDL) side, Red Lions — who are former participants of the TNM Super League — are up against Civo Service United at Balaka Stadium on September 21; along with an encounter between Bangwe All Stars and Kamuzu Barracks at Mpira Stadium
The Round of 16 will conclude on September 28 between NBS Bank NDL side, Mchinji Villa hosting regional league side, Chatoloma Admarc at Mchinji Community Ground.
The Round of 32 produced some interesting results and at its conclusion, there was an intriguing derby at Mchinji Community Centre between NBS Bank NDL sides, Mchinji Villa and Mitundu Baptist, which ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw — but Mchinji Villa triumphed 4-3 after post match penalties; thus booking a date with Chatoloma Admarc.
In Zomba, NDL leaders Red Lions beat Prison United 2-1 setting the course against Civil Service United, while top flight league giants, Silver Strikers beat bottom of the NDL side, Jenda United 5-1.
There was an all-lower league encounter in which The Boyz FC beat Becks Academy 2-1 to date FCB Nyasa Big Bullets; Zingwangwa United beat M’mbelwa United 3-0 to book a date with the defending champions, Blue Eagles — who qualified for the Round of 16 after beating fellow TNM Super League side, Songwe Border United 5-4 in a closely contested post match penalties after a goalless 90 minutes.
Bangwe All Stars beat Sporting FC 5-2 also after post match penalties after drawing 1-1, dating for themselves a tussle against the top flight league club, Kamuzu Barracks — who went through to the Round of 16 after beating Southern Region League side, FC Thondwe 3-1.
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Nyasa Big Bullets went through after thrashing NDL side, Chilumba Barracks 5-0 with four goals from Babatunde Adepoju and their other goal through Chawanangwa Gumbo.
TNM Super League side, Karonga United were ousted at home by lower league side Chatoloma Admarc 3-5 through post match penalties having played out to a 1-1 draw while Silver Strikers ousted fellow top flight side, Mighty Tigers 1-0.
Dedza Dynamos were booted out by fellow Super League side, Creck Sporting Club 1-0 at their own turf at Dedza Stadium while Mzuzu City Hammers saw off another NBS Bank NDL side, Baka City 7-1 in post match penalties having played to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.
Mighty Wanderers qualified having beaten fellow TNM Super League side, MAFCO 3-1 while Ekhaya FC were beaten 1-2 by Moyale FC. There was also another draw at 0-0 between two TNM Super League sides in which Civil Service United won 3-0 in post match penalties against Chitipa United.
