Weekend of derbies in NBM Women’s Premiership

* Headline fixture is Lilongwe’s derby between log table leaders Silver Strikers Ladies and runners-up Ascent Soccer to be played at Ascent Ground on Sunday

* In Season 1, Silver Ladies won both of their meetings, 2-1 in the first round through a brace from Deborah Henry and the consolation by Leticia Chinyamula

* The eventual champions, who only lost twice in their 18 matches, won the reverse fixture 2-0 with goals from Grace Kakangula and Deborah Henry

By Duncan Mlanjira

There will be three derbies to highlight NBM Women’s Premiership’s Matchweek 8, two in Lilongwe and the other in Blantyre.

Headline fixture is Lilongwe’s derby between log table leaders Silver Strikers Ladies and runners-up Ascent Soccer to be played at Ascent Ground on Sunday.

The two sides go into the match very galvanised as the reigning champions maintained their position at the summit with 18 points after whipping Mighty Wanderers Queens 7-0 — while Ascent Soccers beat debutants FACT Ladies 6-0.

In Season 1, Silver Ladies won both of their meetings, 2-1 in the first round through a brace from Deborah Henry and the consolation by Leticia Chinyamula.

The eventual champions, who only lost twice in their 18 matches, won the reverse fixture 2-0 with goals from Grace Kakangula and Deborah Henry.

Deborah Henry is currently nursing an injury but Grace Kakangula is currently hitting the net including one in 7-0 win over Mighty Wanderers Queens along with  top scorers Ireen Khumalo, Madyina Nguluwe and Yamikani Mhango, who scored a brace on Sunday.

On the other hand, international Leticia Chinyamula is leading the scorers chart with 12 goals after her  hat-trick when Ascent Soccer beat FACT Ladies 6-0.

The other Lilongwe derby is at Civo Stadium on Saturday between 4th-placed hosts Civil Service Women and MDF Lionesses, who are sharing 13 points but are on 5th on the log table following goal difference.

Last season, the two sides drew 0-0 in the first round hosted by Civil Service Women, who triumphed 2-1 in the away reverse fixture.

Placed on 3rd placed with 15 points Nyasa Big Bullets Women date Mighty Wanderers Queens in the Blantyre derby at Mpira Stadium on Sunday, which also revives the men’s teams’ fierce rivalry.

The Nomads Queens head into the match having been whipped 7-0 by Silver Strikers and have 7 points on 7th place, the relegation cutting off point.

Nyasa Big Bullets Women won both rounds of last season at 1-0 each with goals from Triza Chiwere in the first and former player, Iouria Yiannakis in the second.

The other matches involve new entrants, Lilongwe-based FACT Ladies, who travel to Blantyre to be hosted by Kukoma Ntopwa at Mpira Stadium on Saturday.

FACT Ladies are on the relegation zone’s 8th place with 6 points while Rumphi Sisters are 9th with 3 points with Chitoliro Heroines at the rock bottom with a single points.

These two date each other on Sunday, with Rumphi Sisters being the hosts at Rumphi Stadium.

There are just two more games to wrap up the first round, thus the match between Silver Ladies and Ascent Soccer — and that between Bullets Women and Wanderers Queens — would be deciders for first leaders and runners-up spot respectively.

There was a goals galore in five matchweek 7 matches that recorded 23 goals, which included three hat-tricks and three braces from internationals Leticia Chinyamula when Ascent Soccer beat FACT Ladies; Mary Chavinda as Nyasa Big Bullets Women triumphed over Rumphi Sisters; and Asimenye Simwaka when MDF Lionesses thrashed another debutants Chitoliro Heroines 5-0.

The braces were was from the Bullets Women’s Vanessa Issa and Silver Strikers’ Yamikani Mhango and Jennifer Nyirenda when the reigning champions beat Mighty Wanderers on Sunday.

Asimenye scored four goals successively in the 37th, 45+1’ and 45+3’ to complete her hat-trick and in the 75th before Chinsinsi Scott in the 85th when beating Blantyre-based Chitoliro at Civo Stadium.