By Mabvuto Kambuwe & Williams Gondwa:
The battle for 2019 TNM Super League golden boot award has reached an exciting stage as Be Forward Wanderers striker Babatunde Adepoju and Silver Strikers goal poacher Khuda Muyaba have tallied on 14 goals apiece with few games remaining.
Muyaba netted his 14th goal of the season on Tuesday as Silver defeated Masters Security FC 2-0 in a TNM Super League match at Silver Stadium to be on level with Babatunde who has gone more than three games without scoring.
Babatunde said he was not focusing on personal glory but welcomed the competition from Khuda.
“We will see what will happen at the end of the season but the team matters most to me. The most important thing is to win matches so that we win the league. My job is to work together with teammates and it does not matter who ever scores but [who gets] three points,” Babatunde said Wednesday.
The Nomads lead the log table with 45 points from 21 games, three points above second-placed Nyasa Big Bullets who have played a game less. Wanderers host Civil Sporting Club at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday in Blantyre.
Silver will be in action against TN Stars at Silver Stadium on Sunday. Muyaba has vowed to snatch the golden boot award come rain or sunshine.
“I already told you that I will catch him so now I will engage an extra gear. I will not allow Babatunde to win it while I am playing. He should forget winning it this season because I will score more goals,” he added.
Muyaba, who has been sidelined from Malawi national football team duties on disciplinary grounds, already won the Airtel Top 8 golden boot award when he scored two goals to pocket a whooping K500, 000.
Commenting on the development former Nyasa Big Bullets striker Jimmy Zakazaka felt that Muyaba’s fighting spirit has helped him to catch up with Babatunde.
Zakazaka believes that Muyaba has got chances to win the award as he is scoring.
“You can bear with me that at some point Khuda had only six goals and Babatunde had 11. Khuda then went on social media, to warn Babatunde that if he will not care he will overtake him. He was accused of making silly remarks but he worked hard to prove that he was saying the truth.
“I am sure that these two guys will compete for the golden boot race but my worry is that Babatunde is yet to score for Wanderers in the second round,” said the former Flames and Wanderers striker.
Meanwhile, Bullets striker Hassan Kajoke is third on the scorers chart with 11 goals. Both Babatunde and Muyaba are just two goals away from reaching last year’s winner Chiukepo Msowoya mark.
Former Silver forward (now with Costa do Sol) Mathews Sibale won the accolade in 2017 with 16 goals but former Mafco striker Richard Mbulu (now with Baroka FC) won with 19 goals while playing for Mafco in 2016.
Former Wanderers striker Aggrey Kanyenda was the last player to score more than 20 goals in 2004.
