* As the Bankers beat debutantes Baka City 2-0 while Mzuzu City Hammers maintain 2nd place after drawing with Moyale
* Silver Strikers look to be clinical on goal scoring this time around under new coach, Peter Mponda
By Tione Andsen & Petro Mkandawire, MANA
Following their 1-1 draw in the Blantyre derby yesterday at Kamuzu Stadium yesterday, Mighty Wanderers and TNM Super League defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets have created a 4-point gap away from leaders Silver Strikers — who look to be clinical on goal scoring this time around under new coach, Peter Mponda.
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The Bankers 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 yesterday’s 2-0 against Baka while the draw was 1-1 away to Dedza Dynamos — played in Week 3.
So, Silver Strikers have opened a three-point gap from second placed, Mzuzu City Hammers who were held to 1-1 draw against Moyale Barracks at Mzuzu stadium and created a four-point gap with 3rd placed Mighty Wanderers and Nyasa Big Bullets, who are 4th — both with nine points.
The two rivals are yet to taste their first defeats of the season as they have both registered two wins and three draws but Wanderers have a better goal difference.
Thus, under new coach Mponda, the Bankers seem to have found the new formula to win the league title which has eluded them in the past 10 years and from their 13 goals, their dual of Adiel Kaduya and Binwell Katinji have scored four goals apiece and they are at par with Kamuzu Barracks striker, Zeliat Nkhoma.
Silver Strikers goalkeeper, George Chikooka has registered his second clean sheet and the first one was against his old club, Chitipa United when they won 2-0 at home.
Newcomers, Baka City will have to dig deep in order to move out of the relegation zone and are currently anchoring the table with a point from five games. They have scored two goals and conceded seven and are yet to register a win.
At Kamuzu Stadium, Wanderers scored first through Isaac Kaliati in the 20th minute following a brilliant assist from Gaddie Chirwa when Bullets defenders failed to clear their lines in the 18-yard box but the 2023 champions dig deeper to come from behind and level the scores in the 48th to force the match into a 1-1 draw to 90 minutes.
Kaliati goal propelled Wanderers to pile more pressure to increase the lead but they were wasteful till half time and it only took three minutes into the second half when Bullets winger, Patrick Mwaungulu equalised after good exchange of passes with midfielder, Ronald Chitiyo.
A see-saw affair kept fans on the edges of seats throughout the match with Bullets launching more attacks in the last half while Wanderers had fewer attacks but they proved not to be clinical in the front of the goal.
After the match, Bullets coach, Kalisto Pasuwa said they didn’t do well more especially on their attack and lost the game in the first half as the team was second to the ball: “Scoring chances were there but we failed to utilise it because our attackers were not in the game.
“We need to grow and amplify areas where we have problems and we didn’t do well in terms of attack do to pressure that our attackers had,” he said.
Wanderers’ deputy coach, Meke Mwase said it was a good game though they failed to hold the pitch due to loss of opportunity and Bullets managed to equalise because of their substitution which disturbed their plans.
“Our aim is to do more on finishing part, lack of composure and timing when attacking and some of the areas that we have to work on and since we have more games to play the team is trying to hold its self for better results,” he said.
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