* From 26 games played, the Bullets won 18, drew 7 and they still need five points to retain the title
* If runners-up Blue Eagles would not drop points in their remaining three games
* Starting with hosting relegation bound Sable Farming on Sunday, November 6
By Duncan Mlanjira
Defending champions, Nyasa Big Bullets — who need just five points in their remaining games — suffered their first loss of 2022 TNM Super League season through Mafco’s Zikani Sichinga’s lone goal at Dedza Stadium on Sunday.
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From 26 games played, the Bullets won 18, drew 7 and they still need five points to retain the title if runners-up Blue Eagles would not drop points in their remaining three games — starting with relegation bound Sable Farming on Sunday, November 6.
The Bullets next match is up against 12th-placed Tigers FC, who are also on a perilous position 12 of the 16 league log table that sees three teams being relegated.
The Bullets have 61 points expecting to garner 73 as maximum points if they win all four remaining matches while runners-up Blue Eagles have 56 points with the maximum expected to be 65.
The defending champions thus need just win one match and draw two to surpass Blue Eagles maximum 65 points.
Kamuzu Barracks, who lost 1-2 on Sunday to 5th-placed Silver Strikers, are third with 51 points while Mighty Wanderers, who lost 0-1 against Blue Eagles on Saturday, maintain their third place with 50 points.
Nyasa Big Bullets’ striker Babatude Adepoju’s two goal lead in the Golden Boot chase has been cut to one against Mighty Wanderers’ Muhammad Sulumba.
The honours list in goals scored is:
16 Goals
Babatude Adepoju (Nyasa Big Bullets)
15 Goals
Muhammad Sulumba (Mighty Wanderers)
13 Goals
Chawanangwa Kaonga (Silver Strikers)
11 Goals
Raphael Phiri (Moyale)
10 Goals
Zeliat Nkhoma (Kamuzu Barracks)
9 Goals
Staine Davie (Silver Strikers) and Mphatso Filimoni (Mafco)
8 Goals
Gaddie Chirwa (Blue Eagles), Charles Chipala (Dedza Dynamos), George Chaomba (Tigers F.C), Patrick Mwaungulu (Nyasa Big Bullets) and Royal Bokosi (Red Lions)
7 Goals
Gastin Simkonda (Moyale), Promise Kamwendo (Dedza Dynamos), Trouble Kajani (Rumphi United) and Zikani Sichinga (Mafco)
6 Goals
Chimwemwe Idana, Anthony Mfune, Hassan Kajoke & Precious Sambani (Nyasa Big Bullets), Wongani Lungu & Gift Chunga (Ekwendeni Hammers), China Chirwa (T N Stars), Schumacher Kuwali (Blue Eagles), Precious Chiudza (Tigers F.C), Clement Nyondo (Dedza Dynamos) and Peter Katsonga (Mafco)
5 Goals
Bashir Maunde & Binwell Katinji (Civil Service), Chiukepo Msowoya & Vincent Nyangulu (Mighty Wanderers), Mike Tetteh (Sable Farming — 2 with Ekwendeni), Christopher Gototo (Blue Eagles — 4 with Sable), Isaac Msiska (Ekwendeni Hammers) and Lloyd Njaliwa (Moyale)
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Meanwhile, Nyasa Big Bullets start their title defence of the Airtel Top 8 against Karonga United on Saturday, November 5 at Kamuzu Stadium while Mighty Wanderers date Mafco the following day at the same Kamuzu Stadium followed by Blue Eagles against Dedza Dynamos on November 19 at Nankhaka.
Last year’s runner-up Silver Strikers are expected to fight for the title against Kamuzu Barracks on November 20 at a venue yet to be announced.
In the second legs, Karonga United will host the Bullets at Karonga stadium on November 26 with Mafco hosting Wanderers the next day at Chitowe as Dedza Dynamos date Blue Eagles at their Dedza Stadium on December 3 while Kamuzu Barracks will meet Silver Strikers on December 4 — also at a venue yet to be announced.
For the semifinals, winners between Nyasa Big Bullets and Karonga United have been drawn against winners between Silver Strikers and Kamuzu Barracks on December 10.
The other semifinal the following day are between winners of Mighty Wanderers v Mafco and winners of Blue Eagles v Dedza Dynamos.
The final match is schedule for December 17 at a venue yet to be decided.
The Cup will be played on knockout basis from the quarterfinals on a home and away basis, where away goals and goal aggregate score rules shall apply while the semifinals and final shall be played on knockout basis in single fixtures.
The theme and kit presentation will be unveiled on Wednesday, November 2.
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Nyasa Big Bullets, who have just added the 2022 FDH Bank Cup on their trophy trove last week after beating Nyasa Big Bullets Reserve, won the Airtel Top 8 title last year after beating Silver strikers 5-3 on post match penalties whose regulation time ended 1-1.
The People’s team won the title for the first time having reached the final in 2018 but lost it to Blue Eagles by a goal to nil at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The runners-up Silver Strikers FC was their their third final after winning it in 2017 and 2019 after defeating Mighty Wanderers and Karonga United respectively.
Bullets’ Babatunde Adepoju, who is also gunning for the Golden Boot in the TNM Super League, scored eight goals in the 2021 Airtel Top 8 to claim the top scorer award.
Silver Strikers won the title twice