* Leaders, Silver Strikers Ladies hosting MDF Lionesses at Silver Stadium on Sunday, while Nyasa Big Bullets (5th) up against Kukoma Ntopwa (6th) at Mpira Stadium on Saturday (both kicking off 14h30)
* Silver Strikers lead this inaugural women’s football structure with 27 points, who ended the first round on a 100% winning streak
* They are 12 points ahead of MDF Lionesses, who are 3rd on the log table with 15 points — gained from four wins and three draws
* The leaders’ forward Deborah Henry leads the race for the Golden Boot with 14 goals — six ahead of runner-up Ascent Soccer’s international Mayamiko Mkandawire
By Duncan Mlanjira
Two Derbies kick off the 2nd round of the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Premiership when leaders, Silver Strikers Ladies host MDF Lionesses at Silver Stadium on Sunday, while 5th-placed FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will be the visiting team against Kukoma Ntopwa (6th) at Mpira Stadium on Saturday (both kicking off 14h30).
Leaders Silver Ladies
Silver Strikers lead this inaugural women’s football structure with 27 points, who ended the first round on a 100% winning streak. They are 12 points ahead of MDF Lionesses, who are 3rd on the log table with 15 points — gained from four wins and three draws.
On 2nd place are Ascent Soccer with 20 points gained from six wins, two draws and one loss, who travel up North to date hosts, Topik Academy — who lie at the bottom of the log table with 2 points gained from two draws.
At 13 points, Kukoma Ntopwa are just one point behind FCB Nyasa Big Bullets (14pts) — making this Derby at Mpira Stadium (14h30) just as interesting one as both wrapped up the 1st round by drawing 1-1; Kukoma Ntopwa vs Ascent Soccer and the Bullets Women vs Civil Service Women.
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The Bullets Women share 14 points with Mighty Wanderers Queens, who are on 5th position having been separated by goal difference. The Wanderers Queens are at home, Mpira Stadium (11h00) playing host to 8th-placed Moyale Sisters, who have just 5 points from one win and three draws.
Lying on 7th place with 10 points from two wins and four draws, Civil Service Women host 9th-placed MK Academy (4 points from four draws) at Civo Stadium on Saturday @ 14h30.
The 2nd round also comes with an intriguing twist in the race for the Golden Boot, which is led by top scorer Deborah Henry of leaders, Silver Strikers Ladies with 14 goals from nine games played — six ahead of runner-up Ascent Soccer’s international Mayamiko Mkandawire at 8 goals.
Another Ascent Soccer international, Leticia Chinyamula goes into the 2nd round with 6 goals; Mighty Wanderers Queens’ Tawina Kawaga with 5 goals, sharing with Kukoma Ntopwa’s Kondawo Banda.
At four goals apiece are MDF Lionesses’ internationals, Asimenye Simwaka & Sabina Thom; FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ Vanessa Issa and Moyale Sisters’ Maureen Phiri — while Ascent Soccer’s Alephar Chimbeta leads the assists table with four assists, highlighting her playmaking influence in midfield.
The 1st round’s 45 matches recorded 127 goals with the highest from Silver Strikers Ladies (28 goals) while a record 17 goals were scored in the final week, which is the highest from a single match week of the inaugural season.
Top scorer, Silver Ladies’ Deborah Henry, concluded the first round by scoring 4 goals when the leaders routed bottom of the table MK Academy 7-0, a feat that earned her the Player of the Match award — and being the most decorated player having earned this accolade five times in nine matches.
Deborah Henry
Malawi Scorchers coach took notice of Deborah’s overall performance and he included her in the 32-member provisional squad that prepared for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAfCON) qualifying matches against Angola but didn’t make the final squad that went on to qualify for their first-ever WAfCON finals.
Seven players from different clubs managed to be voted Player of the Match twice — Asimenye Simwaka (MDF Lionesses); Maurine Phiri (Moyale Sisters); Mayamiko Mkandawire; Leticia Chinyamula & Maureen Kenneth (Ascent Soccer); Funny Moyo (Mighty Wanderers Queens); and Vitumbiko Mkandawire (Civil Service Women).
Those with single accolades as best on the pitch include Wezzie Mhango, Atuweni Njilima & Faluna Umali (Wanderers Women); Zainab Kapanda, Asimenye Mwanyongo & Chikondi Mgodi (Bullets Women); Olivia Phikani, Kondawo Banda & Sarah Mlimbika (Kukoma Ntopwa Ladies); Chisomo Banda & Ireen Khumalo & Wezzie Mvula (Silver Ladies).
Others are Elikina Nyasulu & Dorica Mkandawire (MK Academy); Doreen Dickson, Joyce Oposi & Sabina Thom (MDF Lionessess); Maggie Chavula (Ascent Soccer); Jessie Yosefe (Civil Women); Wezzie Mvula (Silver Ladies); Iouria Yiannakis (Bullets Women); Tawina Kawaga (Wanderers Queens).
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