Chipala scoring the first goal
* The Bankers and the Nomads will face each other on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium, which if Silver win or draw, they will clinch the Super League title with two games in hand
* The win over the Nomads will earn the 54 points, 10 ahead of Wanderers, thus ending the title chase for the Bankers in their favour.
* While a draw shall earn the Bankers 62 points and 55 for Wanderers, meaning if Wanderers shall win their then remaining two, they shall amass maximum 61
By Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express & McDonald Dawala, correspondent
The TNM Super League 2024 leaders, Silver Strikers have opened a 7-point gap after beating Baka City 2-0 at Silver Stadium, almost ruling out any further challenge from runners-up Mighty Wanderers, who drew 2-2 with MAFCO at Kamuzu Stadium.
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Goals from Charles Chipala in the 16th minute and Stenie Davie (43′) set the Bankers on course for the coveted for league title that has eluded them since 2013/14 season.
While the Nomads squandered a 2-0 lead through Lawrence Chaziya (6′) and Isaac Kaliati (41′) to which MAFCO responded through Auspicious Kadzongola’s 86th minute goal from the spot and Bernard Chimaimba 90th minute goal.
Silver Strikers will now travel down south to face Mighty Wanderers on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium, which if they win or draw, they will clinch the Super League title with two games in hand.
The win over the Nomads will earn the 54 points, 10 ahead of Wanderers, thus ending the chase for the TNM Super League 2024 title in their favour.
While a draw shall earn the Bankers 62 points and 55 for Wanderers, meaning if Wanderers shall win their then remaining two, they shall amass maximum 61.
The Bankers will then proceeding to Mulanje Park Wednesday next week to face FOMO FC from which they shall remain with one more game to play.
Wanderers, who went to the match against MAFCO trailing Silver Strikers with 5 points, aimed to secure maximum points against to remain in title contention and they dominated the first half — scoring an early goal through Chaziya’s header from Francisco Madinga’s corner in the 6th minute.
Wanderers continued to dominate but lost possession frequently in midfield, prompting interim coach Bob Mpinganjira to respond by substituting Bakilinyo Mwakanyongo for Blessings Singini in the 32nd minute.
The substitution paid off as Isaac Kaliati doubled Wanderers lead in the 41st minute, taking his goal tally to 16 and his team to 2-0 for the half time break.
In the second half, MAFCO turned the tables by dominating the midfield, again prompting coach Mpinganjira to make further changes, introducing Cameroonian Sama Thierly, Adam Wallace and Stanley Sanudi.
However, the changes failed to yield the desired result and the turning point came when Timothy Siwimba fouled Joseph Mbewe in the box, prompting referee Mayamiko Kanjere to award MAFCO a penalty.
Kadzongolo converted it to make it 2-1 and MAFCO went on to equalize soon after through Chimaimba, scoring from Francis Black’s pass.
The 2-2 draw left Wanderers fans, technical panel, and players frustrated, with coach Bob Mpinganjira expressing his disappointment, saying dropping the two points was a very bad result for them.
But he emphasised that their title chase is not over: “Not yet, we have to play a game on Saturday; we will try to win it and see what happens next.
“This was a very bad game for us — we were leading the whole 70 minutes and we dropped two points which is very bad for us.
“We didn’t play our usual game; the passing game. Of course, we created some chances but we missed, that is part of football; it happens. We scored two goals and we should have, at least, protected the lead and win the game.”
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MAFCO’s assistant coach, Jimmy Mzunga said they lost concentration in the first half but they managed to come back: “Wanderers took advantage and got those two early goals,” he said, adding that their target is to end the season in the top eight of the table to qualify for the Airtel Top 8 2025 championship.
“I hope we will do it,” he said as they have have taken two steps up from 9th position to 7th.
According to a report by Silver Strikers Media, the Bankers braved the rains and its aftermath to collect all points over Baka City, who are already relegated from the top flight league in their debut appearance.
The win has also kept the Bankers’ unbeaten run to 27 games and 11 wins from their backyard out of the 14 games played.
The report says Charles Chipala opened the scores after he headed home a long pin-pointed ball from Uchizi Vunga at 16 minutes after they had toiled for a goal from the first whilste under the rains.
After 20 minutes, coach Peter Mponda took out Binwell Katinji for Stanie Davie and that kept the momentum going for the Bankers but the visitors were not outdone yet as they fired their first shot on Silver’s goal at 23 minutes when Ngesi Mwafulirwa made a good run but his effort was well saved by goalkeeper of the moment, George Chikooka.
At 42 minutes, substitute Stanie Davie finished off a good ball from Misheck Seleman after Chipala missed the initial pass. Chimwemwe Idana was the one who orchestrated the whole move after a good turn in midfield to spot Seleman.
The Bankers took the two-goal lead to half time recess, which was prolonged after the downpour continued as the field became waterlogged and unplayable.
Fans had to rescue the situation by clearing the logged water to force a restart to the second half in which the visitors continued to have a difficult afternoon as the hosts continued to pile pressure for a third goal that never came.
Chikondi Kamanga and Levison Maganizo were introduced in the second half for Chimwemwe Idana and Charles Chipala but the scores were unchanged until regulation time.
In another match, Civil Service United drew 2-2 with Nyasa Big Bullets in which the defending champions went in the lead in the 18th minute through Nickson Nyasulu before Ephraim Kondowe made it 2-0 in the 49th but the hosts battled back through Chikaiko Batson in the 62nd and 80th.
The draw has left the Bullets still on 3rd place with 46 points, two ahead of 4th-placed Mzuni City Hammers, who remain with two games to wrap up the season while the defending champions still have three more to play.
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