* The three bottom sides need to play with their lungs out if they are to move out of drop zone
* They are all capable of turning the tables if they put up a hard working spirit
* They need to start collecting maximum points in order to survive in the league—Fan Dick Bester
By Tione Andsen, MANA
Bottom three sides in the TNM Super League 2024, Dedza Dynamos, Baka City and Bangwe All Stars — who are yet to register a win for the season — have daunting fixtures this weekend as they face in-form teams in Week 4.
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Dedza have managed two draws against Nyasa Big Bullets 1-1, Silver Strikers 1-1 and lost 0-3 on the road against Civil Service United while debutantes, Baka City lost in a Karonga derby 0-1, got beaten by Mzuzu Hammers 1-2 and drew with Mafco 1-1.
Bangwe All Stars have lost two away games against FOMO 0-1, Silver Strikers 1-3 and drew with Karonga United 1-1 at home and they will host current league leaders, Mighty Wanderers on Sunday at Mpira Stadium.
The Nomads have won twice against FOMO 3-0, Creck Sporting 3-0 and were forced to a 1-1 draw in their first game of the season against Kamuzu Barracks at Kamuzu Stadium.
Bangwe All Stars need to work outside the box if they are to stop Wanderers, who are in a great scoring form. A win for Wanderers will increase their points tally to 10 points from four games while for Bangwe they will jump out of relation zone.
This weekend, Dedza Dynamos are on the road to face 3rd-placed Moyale Barracks at Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday, whose game promises more fireworks as the home side have won two games — against Mafco 2-1 and Civil Service United 3-0.
Dedza Dynamos have proved to be tough playing at home and have not done well playing away and in their second outing they need to collect maximum points.
Newcomers, Baka City will play against Nyasa Big Bullets, who are fifth on the table at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday. The rookies will be playing a team that have not won any game at home this season and they are coming from a 3-0 win over Chitipa United last Sunday in Karonga.
Baka City should brace themselves for highly competitive game owing to the fact that the defending champions will be looking for maximum points in order to enhances their championship ambitions.
Another epic battle is on Saturday in Area 47, where 2nd-placed Silver Strikers will play host to Mafco, whose form this season has started on a bad note and they need to pull up their socks in order to register a catch-up win.
They lost to Moyale 1-2 in their opening match, they drew with Kamuzu Barracks 1-1 at home and they pulled 0-0 against Baka City away.
A football fan from New Gulliver in Lilongwe, Dick Bester viewed that the three bottom sides need to play with their lungs out if they are to move out of drop zone.
“They are all capable of turning the tables if they put up a hard working spirit,” he said. “They need to start collecting maximum points in order to survive in the league.”
Another fan from Kawale, Nelson Phiri said the fixtures will provide a litmus test for the three teams, maintaining that the three teams should expect tough encounters and they should avoid losses with big margins.
There will all to fight for this season as TNM Plc has increased sponsorship of the Super League by 350% from K150 million to K500 million, of which the winner shall receive K100 million with the runners-up going home with K40 million and third place at K30 million.
From the package, K176 million will go towards teams’ prizes with with K10 million to individual awards and K160 million towards teams’ subventions — with each team pocketing K10 million.
TNM has also set aside K50 million for grassroots football, a development Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya described that it will play a key role in fulfilling the FAM’s key strategic pillar on youth football development.—Additional reporting by Maravi Express
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