Mponda (top) will also be up against his former assistant coach, his namesake Peter Mgangira
* Along with goalkeeper Brighton Munthali, defenders Chisomo Mpachika and Precious Sambani and striker Stain Davie
* Mponda served for the Bankers for just one season before returning to his former club, Bullets for the 2025 season
By Duncan Mlanjira
Coach Peter Mponda, who led Silver Strikers to their first Super League title in 2024 after an 11-year wait, face his former employer this afternoon as gaffer for Baka City-Masters FC.
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Masters FC, who got disbanded in 2019 after being relegated from the Super League, bought the rights of Baka City after it qualified for the FDH Bank Premiership having finished 3rd in the 2nd tier NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) and roped in Mponda after the coach got fired from Nyasa Big Bullets.
Mponda served for the Bankers for just one season before returning to his former club, Bullets for the 2025 season but after a spate of disappointing results, he was relieved of his duties before being taken aboard by the Cabinet Minister Alfred Gangata’s club, Masters FC.
The team so far has a 100% winning record and are at the top with 9 points ahead of this afternoon’s match — results from beating Chitipa United 1-0, Karonga United 2-1 and Mitundu FC, new entrants into the elite league from the NBS Bank NDL.
The 4th-placed Silver Strikers, who finished 3rd in the TNM Super League 2025, have won two of their three assignments of the FDH Bank Premiership, before losing 0-1 last weekend in a city derby against Blue Eagles at Civo Stadium — having first beaten Kamuzu Barracks 2-0 before thumping Moyale 4-1.
Thus this will be Mponda’s real test of his mettle this afternoon against seasoned Silver Strikers and away at Area 47 where the Bankerswill be out there to redeem themselves and see them move level on points with the early league leaders.
Along with the coach returning to their former team’s home turf will be goalkeeper Brighton Munthali, defenders Chisomo Mpachika and Precious Sambani and striker Stain Davie. Mponda will also be up against his former assistant coach, his namesake Peter Mgangira
Another intriguing match this afternoon is between Nyasa Big Bullets and new entrants from NBS Bank NDL as champions, Red Lions to be at Joyce Chitsulo Stadium in Mwanza.
The Lions and Nyasa Big Bullets when Zomba Stadium was being commissioned
The Lions of Zomba have also not lost any game as they have drawn their first two matches (1-1 each with Creck Sporting Club and Ekhaya FC) before thumping Dedza Dynamos 3-0 last weekend — stamping their intention that they are back into the top flight with a purpose.
Sharing on 7 points each with Civil Service United, who lost 0-1 to Chitipa United yesterday, Nyasa Big Bullets are on 2nd position and are now much more galvanised after beating their arch rivals Mighty Wanderers 2-1 last Sunday — a victory they had been long awaiting having been beaten three times last season.
Other matches this afternoon are Karonga United (13th/1pt) v MAFCO (12th/2pts) at Karonga Stadium and Dedza Dynamos (16th/1pt) v Blue Eagles (5th/6pts) at Dedza Stadium.
Yesterday, Mighty Wanderers redeemed themselves by overcoming new entrants Mitundu Luanar FC 2-0 at Dedza Stadium through goals from veteran striker Muhammad Sulumba in the 14th minute and midfielder Blessings Singini’s strike 10 minutes to the break.
Ekhaya FC registered their first win in three attempts when they beat Moyale Barracks 2-0 courtesy of Blessings Malinda and James Lumbe’s second half strikes at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre while Creck Sporting Club’s unconvincing start to the season continued with a 1-3 loss to Kamuzu Barracks.
