Bullets Ephraim Kondowe nets 3 goals in four games as others have played 5 with Zeliat Nkhoma leading with 5 goals

* Four apiece have been scored by Silver Strikers duo of Adiel Kaduya and Binwell Katinji and Creck Sporting’s George Chaomba

* Ramadan Ntafu also has three goals from the first hat-trick of the season when his team Chitipa United beat Karonga United 4-1

By Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express & Tione Andsen, MANA

From four games he has played, Nyasa Big Bullets’ Ephraim Kondowe has scored 3 goals in the race for the Golden Boot of the TNM Super League 2024 season while other scorers have played five matches apiece.

Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma leads with 5 goals from five games followed by four apiece by Silver Strikers duo of Adiel Kaduya and Binwell Katinji and debutantes, Creck Sporting’s George Chaomba.

Kondowe is joined on three goals apiece by Civil Service United’s Emmanuel Jnr Saviel; Isaac Msiska (Mzuzu City Hammers); Promise Kamwendo (Dedza Dynamos); Saulos Moyo (Karonga United) and Ramadan Ntafu, who is the first player to score a hat-trick when his team Chitipa United beat Karonga United 4-1.

Fighting for the Golden Glove are five goalkeepers — Mighty Tigers’ Luck Tizola with 3 clean sheets alongside Mighty Wanderers’ Richard Chipuwa; Dedza Dynamos’ Donnex Mwakasinga (2); Silver Strikers’ George Chikooka (2) and Moyale’s Simeon Harawa (2).

Action continues this weekend, with log table leaders Silver Strikers, meeting Creck Sporting for Week 6 at home, Silver Stadium on Sunday after beating another debutantes Baka City of Karonga 2-0 last week.

Silver Strikers — who look to be clinical on goal scoring this time around under new coach, Peter Mponda — have 13 points from five games of four wins and one draw with an impressive goal difference of 10 as they have scored 13 and conceded just three.

The wins were 2-0 at home against Chitipa United in Week 1, followed by 3-1 against Bangwe All Stars also at home, emphatic 5-1 home against MAFCO and last Sunday’s 2-0 against Baka while the draw was 1-1 away to Dedza Dynamos — played in Week 3.

Meanwhile, Kamuzu Barracks — who replaced Mzuzu City Hammers on position 2 they occupied as of last Saturday, date the same team on Sunday away at Mzuzu Stadium while 8th-placed Mighty Tigers are at home at Kamuzu Stadium hosting 12th-placed Dedza Dynamos.

On Saturday, the defending champions, Nyasa Big Bullets — who are also eyeing their 6th consecutive titles and their 17th since the inception of the top flight league — travel to Nkhotakota to meet MAFCO at Chitowe.

Coming from an away defeat against Dedza Dynamos, MAFCO have a mountain to climb in order to claim their first maximum points for the season.

MAFCO were the only team in 2022 season that hammered Bullets when they played at Dedza stadium as their home ground but are now back at their backyard — and the question is will they repeat the magic they used at Dedza and become the first team this season to inflict defeat on the defending champions?

The Lakeshore giants are a fix as they are in the relegation zone with two points from six games and are yet to post a win — thus their need to utilize their home ground advantage when they play host to the defending champions.

This is also their chance revenge on cup defeats they suffered at the hands of the People’s Team last soccer season and to atone themselves from the patch of poor results they seem to be going through owing to the absence of their captain, Paul Ndhlovu and coach Prichard Mwansa who has not reported for duties at the club.

Will the caretaker coach, MAFCO’s technical director, Stereo Gondwe have the muscle to stop Bullets at home? They have only managed to secure two draws against Kamuzu Barracks 1-1 at home and Baka City 0-0 away but lost away to Moyale Barracks 1-2, Silver Strikers 1-5 Dedza Dynamos 0-3.

Fresh from 1-1 Blantyre derby draw, Bullets will be itching for maximum points in order to narrow the gap with league leaders, Silver Striker currently at 13 points while Bullets have nine points.

They have won away once against Chitipa United 3-0 and they capable of replicating the same results against Mafco.

Their arch rivals, Mighty Wanderers on 4th position, whom they share nine points but separated through goal difference, are at home at Kamuzu Stadium against 7th-placed Karonga United.

The Nomads need to avoid wastefulness in front of goals from their main man, Christopher Kumwembe, when playing at home while new revelation, midfielder Blessings Singini has duty to anchor Wanderers engine room like he did in the derby encounter.

Fifth-placed Moyale host Chitipa United (13th) at Mzuzu Stadium while Civil Service United (11th) host Bangwe All Stars, who are on the red relegation position of 14 with two points from two draws and three losses.

Debutantes FOMO FC — 12th with six points from two wins won at home — are again at their own turf at Mulanje Park meeting fellow newcomers Baka City (16th with a single point).

In games involving Silver Strikers and Kamuzu Barracks will be interesting to see if the Bankers’ dual of Kaduya and Katinji — at overall four goals each — will dethrone Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma in the race for the Golden Boot.

Placing themselves on position two, the Lilongwe-based military side have put themselves in a frame of being title contenders — rekindling their 2016 triumph when they lifted the TNM Super League.