* Ahead of the Nomads encounter against Dedza Dynamos this afternoon at Kamuzu Stadium
* Wanderers have 12 points, two behind Civil Service United and 10 behind leaders Silver Strikers
* As the Bankers target to tighten grip of leadership when they face defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets tomorrow
By Duncan Mlanjira
Civil Service United beat bottom of the TNM Super League 2024 debutantes Baka City 3-0 yesterday that made them leap-frog three places to perch at 5th position and dislodging Mighty Wanderers.
Advertisement
Goals from Chikaiko Batson in the 5th and 69th minutes and another from Golden Boot contender, Emmanuel Jnr Saviel in the 12th, kept Civil United lead all the way to the final whistle.
Saviel now has seven goals to his credit in the goal scoring race that has Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma leading with has eight goals while Mzuzu City Hammers’ Isaac Msiska has six.
With five goals to his credit is Karonga United’s Saulos Moyo while those with four goals apiece are Silver Strikers duo of Adiel Kaduya and Binwell Katinji; Creck Sporting’s George Chiomba and Big Bullets Patrick Mwaungulu.
Meanwhile, Mighty Wanderers interim head coach, Meck Mwase assured the team’s fans that he is not under any pressure as he presides over his first assignment in his new capacity against Dedza Dynamos.
Mwase (left)
He is quoted by Wanderers Media as saying there is no reason to press the panic button as he has been with the team for sometime debutising Burundian Nsanzwirimo Ramadhan and he knows what is required is just to do right things.
The match comes following back-to-back losses against Silver Strikers in Lilongwe and Mzuzu City Hammers — both away and each ending 0-2 and after the loss in Mzuzu, the Nomads fans were not amused at all and demanded the resignation of Ramadhan, which the Burundian accepted and rendered in his resignation letter.
Wanderers went ahead and appointed Mwase as an interim head coach and the gaffer knows against Dedza Dynamos is a must-win match to atone the wounds of the team’s fans as well as align themselves the race for the title.
The Nomads fans are expecting Mwase to give the Nomads’ new signing, Cameroonian forward, Sama Thierry Tanjong his debut match after world football governing body, FIFA issued an international transfer certificate clearing Wanderers to start using him.
The former Cameroon’s Under-20 international was signed on May 2 for the next 24 months and was awaking the FIFA international clearance certificate and Wanderers have also successfully registered him with SULOM — making him eligible to be featured
According to Wanderers Media’s Facebook platform, Tanjong launched his football career at First Sport Academy in Cameroon at the age of 7 and has played for various clubs in Cameroon, Congo and Baroka FC of South Africa with a combined record of 112 goals.
Nicknamed the Predator, he is expected to enforce the blunt Wanderers striking force which has only managed to score nine goals from eight games played so far.
At the same time, Silver Strikers — who at 22 points lead the 2024 campaign with four points ahead of 2nd-place Kamuzu Barracks, who beat Karonga United 2-1 on Thursday — target to tighten their grip of their position when they face defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets tomorrow at Kamuzu Stadium.
Silver Strikers Media reports quotes coach Peter Mponda as saying his charges were focused on getting maximum points and taking each game as it comes knowing the league is still a marathon long.
Peter Mponda
The Bankers are eight points ahead of 4th-placed Big Bullets and both are the only sides unbeaten so far ahead of tomorrow’s match.
“The team is in good shape and ready for our assignment on Sunday which we know won’t be easy considering that our opponents are very strong when playing at Kamuzu Stadium” Mponda told Silver Media.
“With our performance in the previous match, we have told the boys to up their game and fight for maximum points and they understand the assignment — we are taking a game at a time.”
In the absence of four players — Adiel Kaduya, Atusaye Nyondo, Gift Chunga and Duncan Nyoni — Mponda is quoted as saying he has confidence in the players that are available as they have always shown that they can fight in place of those that are absent.
It has been an action-packed month of May for the Bankers in which they won all four of their — against Baka City (2-0), Creck Sporting Club (2-0), Mighty Wanderers (2-0), and Karonga United (4-2).
Advertisement