Silver Ladies coach Andrew Chikhosi not taking their NBM Women Premiership’s 10-point lead for granted

* At this stage of the competition, every team is focused on keeping a good position and though we are in the lead, we cannot afford to sit back since every opponent will be hard on us

* Our philosophy is to take every game that comes separately and to make sure we do not lose points, but if we do it should be a draw, not a loss

* We can’t afford to relax and think the league is over and done with,” emphasises the coach, whose team have only lost once in 14 matches

By Duncan Mlanjira

Despite just needing to win two of the remaining four National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership to clinch the title, Silver Strikers Ladies’ head coach, Andrew Chikhosi, is extremely cautious that each of the remaining four opponents pose a threat in their fight for the inaugural crown.

The Silver Ladies are at home, Silver Stadium tomorrow against Kukoma Ntopwa Women, who beat MDF Lionesses 2-0 at home, Mpira Stadium last Sunday to claim the 4th position, pushing the Kamuzu Barracks to 5th.

Thus Kukoma Ntopwa indeed pose some serious challenge even though they are away, meaning that they can claim the runners-up spot if they win the remaining four matches to amass 36 points.

This scenario is in the event that the current runners-up Ascent Soccer — who host relegated MK Academy on Sunday — lose two of their remaining four that would land them on 35 points.

Another contender for the second position are FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women at 25 points, who are away to play against relegated Topik Academy at Luwinga in Mzuzu. If the Bullets Women win all remaining four, they will amass 37 points.

With 22 points in the bag, 5th-placed MDF Lionesses are away to be hosted by relegated Moyale Sisters at Luwinga from 10h00.

The Lionesses share points with 6th-placed Civil Service Women, who are away to meet 7th-placed Mighty Wanderers Queens (20 points) at Kamuzu Stadium.

After their 2-0 triumph over Mighty Wanderers Queens last weekend, Silver Ladies coach, Chikhosi described the match as tough, confessing that their opponents had studied their style of play in which they build their attack from the back.

He observed that Wanderers Queens crowded them at the back, thus they couldn’t build up their movements well opting for long balls and he indicated that they were returning to base to draw up another attacking plan.

“At this stage of the competition, every team is focused on keeping a good position and though we are in the lead, we cannot afford to sit back since every opponent will be hard on us.

“Our philosophy is to take every game that comes separately and to make sure we do not lose points, but if we do it should be a draw, not a loss. We can’t afford to relax and think the league is over and done with,” emphasised the coach, whose team have only lost once — against city rivals, MDF Lionesses in the first match of the second round.

Hot on their heels are Ascent Soccer with 29 points and the maximum points that they can amass if they win their remaining four games is 41 while Silver Ladies shall amass maximum 51 points.

After losing 1-2 to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Women last weekend, Ascent Soccer coach Thom Mkorongo conceded that injuries had been a huge setback on their part, including their playmaker, Fatima Ali, who had to be stretchered out after being badly fouled against the Bullets Women.

He asked officiating personnel to protect the players, while emphasising that the inaugural women’s top tier football system has been very competitive and exciting such that it has exposed a lot of talent.

“There are now a lot of talented players who can be tapped for the national women’s football team, the Scorchers and that is why I urge the referees to protect the players from getting badly injured by taking decisive actions against bad fouls.”

One player that stands out from the NBM Women’s Premiership is leading top scorer, Deborah Henry, with 22 goals to her name in the race for the Golden Boot — which is an unassailable lead of 14 goals ahead of three runners-up.

The runners-up with 8 goals each are Ascent Soccer’s internationals, Mayamiko Mkandawire & Leticia Chinyamula and Wanderers Queens’ Tawina Kawaga while at 7 goals apiece are Kukoma Ntopwa’s duo of Takondwa Gambuleni and Kondawo Banda.

Civil Women’s Vitumbiko Mkandawire has 6 goals to her name while at five apiece are Bullets Women duo of Mary Chavinda and Vanessa Issa; Civil Women’s Jesse Yosefe and Moyale Sisters’ Maurine Phiri.

With 4 goals apiece are a trio from MDF Lionesses — internationals Asimenye Simwaka Sabina Thom and Catherine Kachala; while Silver Ladies have three with 3 goals each, Yamikani Mhango, Wezzie Mvula and Grace Kakangula.

Others also with 3 goals are Ascent Soccer’s duo Alepha Chimbeta & Fatima Lali; Anna Bazilio (Civil Women); Funny Moyo (Wanderers Queens); Fazila Chiyembekezo (MDF Lionesses) and Funny Magombo (Ntopwa Women).