By Duncan Mlanjira
After playing 8 games since the second round of the TNM Super League resumed, Dwangwa has managed to extricate themselves from the last position they had been occupying and move up 4 steps to position 12.
From the 24 games so far played, they have amassed 23 points from 6 wins and 5 draws in which they have lost 13.
The last position is now being occupied by last season’s surprise team of the season, Masters Security with 17 points from 22 games played of 3 wins and 8 draws.
Dwangwa, who ended on same 12th position last season and have managed to escape relegation year in and year out, are above Mzuni FC, who have 21 points from 4 wins and 9 draws.
They are separated by 2 points while Masters have played less games than Dwangwa at 22. Masters were on position 14 at the close of the first round.
Behind Masters are debutantes Ntopwa on position 14, who have 20 points from 24 games in which they have won 6 and drew 2 while fellow new comers Mlatho Mponela are 15the with 18 points from 21 games of 4 wins and 6 draws.
On Saturday, Mlatho Mponela will travel to Lilongwe to meet 5th-placed Kamuzu Baracks at Civo Stadium. The soldiers have 39 points from 24 games of 10 wins and 9 draws.
Mzuni FC will host 4th-placed Silver Strikers at Mzuzu Stadium. The Bankers have 40 points from 23 of 11 wins and 7 draws.
While on Sunday, Ntopwa FC will be up against 2nd-placed Nyasa Big Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium. The defending champions have 43 points from 21 games of 12 wins and 7 draws.
The summit is still being enjoyed by Be Forward Wanderers with 48 points from 22 games of 14 wins and 6 draws.
At the close of the first round, Wanderers led the pack with runner-up Bullets with 36 points, four away from Bullets and they it has been added to five-point difference after the defending champions dropped two points when they drew 0-0 with Mlatho Mponela over the weekend.
Moyale Barracks, who were 8th at the end of the first, are now 10th with 28 points from 21 games of 7 wins and 7 draws. They will travel to Lilongwe to face Silver Strikers at Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Wanderers will be on league by bye as thy have to fulfill their FISD Challenge Cup Round of 16 fixtures against Masters Security at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday.
Mafco’s are expected to meet Blue Eagles at a venue yet to be announced same Saturday while on Sunday Savenda Chitipa United will host Civil Sporting at Karonga Stadium as Hangover takenon Tigers FC at Chilomoni Stadium.
The following is the log table (numbers in blackets denotes last season’s final standings while * is for promoted teams):
. P W D L GF GA GD Pts
1.(2) Wanderers 22 14 6 2 40 11 29 48
2.(1) Nyasa Bullets 21 12 7 2 45 10 35 43
3.(11) Blue Eagles 23 11 8 4 32 23 9 41
4.(3) Silver Strikers 23 11 7 5 29 23 6 40
5.(6) K. Barracks 24 10 9 5 19 14 5 39
6.(5) Civil Sporting 25 11 4 10 32 26 6 37
7.(9) TN Stars 24 11 4 9 25 32 -7 37
8.(7) Karonga Utd 24 8 6 10 30 33 3 30
9.(10) Mighty Tigers 23 7 8 8 18 19 -1 29
10.(13) Moyale 21 7 7 7 23 24 -1 28
11.(*) Chitipa United 23 5 10 8 25 31 -6 25
12.(12) Dwangwa 24 6 5 13 25 42 -17 23
13.(8) Mzuni 22 4 9 9 16 26 -10 21
14.(*) Ntopwa 24 6 2 16 26 39 -13 20
15.(*) Mponela 21 4 6 11 17 29 -12 18
16.(4)Masters 22 3 8 11 18 38 -20 17