Scorer Isaac Kaliati voted Man of the Match for his overall performance
* Ahead of their match against Dedza Dynamos, Creck Sporting were 9th with 20 points and Dedza on 10th with 19
* Following their 2-0 win they amassed 23 points to push out Moyale Barracks (22 points) from the 6th-place
* As well as MAFCO FC (21 points), who have been pushed from 7th to 8th — the cut off for the Airtel Top 8
By Duncan Mlanjira
Mighty Wanderers concluded their last match of the first round of the TNM Super League 2024 by beating bottom of the table Baka City 2-0 this afternoon at Karonga Stadium to keep a grip hold of their runners-up position.
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Silver rounded off the first round of the TNM Super League 2024 with a 0-0 draw against Moyale Barracks on Sunday at Mzuzu Stadium to lead the table with 37 points and following the win, the Nomads have 28 points while on third place are Mzuzu City Hammers with 25 points.
On 4th position with 23 points are defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets, who beat Bangwe All Stars 2-0 yesterday in their last game of the first round — sharing points with 5th-placed Kamuzu Barracks, but separated by goal difference as the Bullets amassed 18 against nine while the military side have scored 20 and conceding 18.
Ahead of their match against Dedza Dynamos, Creck Sporting were 9th with 20 points and Dedza on 10th with 19 and following their 2-0 win — courtesy of goals from George Chaomba (5′) and Anorld Kiyama Son (41′) — they amassed 23 points to push out Moyale Barracks (22 points) from the 6th-place as well as MAFCO FC (21 points), who had occupied 7th-placed.
Moyale are now 7th while MAFCO are 8th, the cut out points for the qualification of the Airtel Top 8 that is played at the end of the season.
The defending champions, Nyasa Big Bullets — who picked themselves up following a lackluster performance in their first round of five wins, eight draws and two losses — have a lot of work to catch up if they are to retain the title for the 7th consecutive season.
However, they are in contention to defend their FHD Bank Cup title following their 2-0 triumph over arch rivals Mighty Wanderers to make a date with Civil Service United in the quarterfinals, of which if they win will tussle in the semifinals with winners between Lube Masters v Moyale Barracks.
At the next stage of the TNM Super League 2024 second round, all is there to fight for — the title itself and to fight from not being ousted out of the top eight in order to earn a place in the now lucrative Airtel Top 8 of 2025.
This year’s contenders for the Airtel Top 8 are last season’s high performers — Nyasa Big Bullets (1st); Silver Strikers (2nd); Mighty Wanderers (3rd); Chitipa United (4th); Kamuzu Barracks (5th); Bangwe All Stars (6th); Dedza Dynamos (7th) and Civil Service United (8th).
All, except Chitipa United who are currently on the red relegation zone (14th), Bangwe All Stars (15th) and Civil Service United (9th), are in contention for the top 8 spot in the second round, which has Silver Strikers at the top (37 points); Mighty Wanderers 2nd (28); Mzuzu City Hammers 3rd (25 points); Nyasa Big Bullets 4th (23); Kamuzu Barracks 5th (23); Creck Sporting 6th (23); Moyale Barracks 7th (22) and MAFCO FC 8th (21).
The Airtel Top 8 sponsorship has been renewed for another three years and have very mouth-watering prize initiatives following a staggering 180% increase from K234 million to K655 million in which the champions’ prize money will be revised upwards from K30 million in 2024 to K35 million in 2025; and K40 million in 2026.
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The champions’ prize money is an increase from K17.5 million in 2023 while for runners-up, which was at K5 million in 2023, will now receive K10 million in 2024; K12 million in 2025; and K14 million in 2026.
Each participating team will now receive K2.5 million in 2024, K3 million in 2025 and K4 million in 2026, compared to K1 million in 2023.
Dolo wa Tournament (Player of the Tournament) will be awarded K1.5 million in 2024; K1.725 million in 2025; and K2 million in 2026, up from K500,000 in 2023.
The Top Goal Scorer: will walk home with K1 million in 2024; K1.350 million in 2025; and K1.5 million in 2026, compared to K500,000 in 2023.
Dolo wa Match (Man of the Match) will earn K100,000 in 2024; K115,000 in 2025; and K140,000 in 2026, up from K50,000 in 2023.
The media, who play a crucial fans of informing the public of the progress of the tournament, have also been considered as individual prizes for Dolo wa Print, Radio, TV, Online and Photography has also increased to K250,000 in 2024; K300,000 in 2025; and K350,000 each in 2026.
Meanwhile, at the close of the first round, Silver Strikers have very interesting statistics — they finished their 15 matches without tasting defeat from 11 wins and four draws in which they have scored 34 goals and conceded 9.
Coming second as high-scoring side are Mighty Wanderers and Kamuzu Barracks with 20 goals each.
The Bankers finished last season’s first round with 30 points to end on second position with eight wins, six draws, and a single loss and they have proven to be one of the best defensive sides and enjoyed a 100% win record for all home matches.
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Out of the 37 points earned, 24 were collected at home with 13 points away, registering 3 wins and four draws on the road. Their highest score margin has been 5 goals scored at home against MAFCO FC and Mzuzu City Hammers and the lowest margin at home being their 1-0 win over debutantes, FOMO FC.
Their forwards have not been lethal in away assignments as they have only scored eight goals on the road compared to the 24 scored at home.
They have also had to come from behind twice to secure a point against Kamuzu Barracks and Dedza Dynamos in games that ended 2-2 and 1-1 respectively.
Midfielder Uchizi Vunga and right-back McDonald Lameck were the ones to score the fastest goals for Silver Strikers as both found the back of the net in five minutes.
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Vunga scored his goal against Karonga United while Lameck did the same against Mzuzu City Hammers. Their midfield maestro Chimwemwe Idana is this far the one to have scored very late into a match for the Area 47 outfit as he registered his name on the score sheet at 96 minutes against Karonga United.
Despite being the ones with the fastest goals for the Bankers, Vunga, and Lameck also share a unique stats as being the only players with the highest goal assists in the league — at five each.
On top of that, their goalkeeper George Chikooka tops the tally of the most clean sheets at nine games, the highest among all shotstoppers this far.—Stats by Silver Strikers Media
George Chikooka, the national team material
