Silver Strikers and rookies Creck Sporting Club have maintained their perfect start to the 2024 season after winning their respective TNM Super League home matches yesterday.
The Central Bankers registered a 3-1 victory over Bangwe All Stars at Silver Stadium whereas Creck came from behind to beat Moyale Barracks3-2 at Civo Stadium.
Both Silver and Creck have six points from two matches.
However, Silver lead the 16-member log table due to their superior goal aggregate over Creck, who are second.
Silver beat Chitipa United 2-0 at the same venue last week whereas Creck registered a 3-1 victory over Mighty Tigers at Civo Stadium.
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Mzuzu City Hammers, who have also won their two opening matches, have six points and are third on the log table.
Hammers beat Baka City 2-1 on Saturday after they defeated Civil Service United 1-0 in the opening match.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers moved to fourth on the log table with four points from two matches following a 3-0 win over rookies Fomo at Mulanje Park Stadium.
At Silver Stadium, Silver Coach Peter Mponda introduced Zebron Kalima for Gift Chunga after a barren first half.
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The move brought life into Silver’s attack and they were rewarded when Binwel Katinji broke the deadlock in the 52nd from a rebound after Adiel Kaduya’s attempt struck the post.
Kaduya turned from provider to goal scorer in the 63rd minute when he tapped in a MacDonald Lameck cross from the right flank.
Substitute Charles Chipala scored his first goal for Silver with a great finish in the 83rd minute.
However, Patrick Phiri netted the consolation for Bangwe in added time.
In a post-match interview, Mponda refused to get carried away with the result, saying the league is a marathon.
“It is too early and we should not lose focus because of the results. We have to take each match as it comes,” Mponda said.
Bangwe Coach Christopher Nyambose was disappointed with two losses in the early stages of the season.
“It is painful that we have lost two matches but there is no need to panic,” he said.
At Civo Stadium, Babangida Ishaya scored a brace for Creck, with the other goal coming from George Chaomba to give the debutants their second successive win.
Prince Phiri and Brown Magaga scored for Moyale.
Elsewhere, Chitipa thrashed Karonga United 4-1 at Karonga Ground.
Ramadhan Ntafu scored the first hat-trick of the season, with Stemela Muyira scoring the other goal, whereas Blessings Mwilirino scored the consolation goal for Karonga.
At Mulanje Park, Wanderers capitalised on Fomo’s lapse in defence to score three goals in a space of 10 minutes to register their first win in the league after downing the home team 3-0.
Felix Zulu, Wisdom Mpinganjira and Peter Cholopi scored the goals at the beginning of the second half to collect the deserving maximum points.
On a chilly afternoon, football fans braved condition and thronged the stadium, where they were treated to a competitive match.
Wanderers capitalised on the rookies’ disjointed performance in the early stages of the match but new signing Clement Nyondo and Christopher Kumwembe fluffed their closest chances.
Backed by home support, Fomo, who last week started on a high after defeating Bangwe, lacked a matchmaker to supply the frontline as the debutants created few scoring chances and rarely troubled Nomads’ goalie Richard Chipuwa.
In the second half, the goals seemed to have destabilised the home team as they played second fiddle to the Nomads, who enjoyed possession.
Fomo consisted of the twins Duncan and Oscar Mbewe, who operated from the wings and kept crosses in supply in the box.
Wanderers’ new acquisition Blessings Singini was named man of the match on his debut.
Fomo Coach Gilbert Chirwa said his charges lost concentration in the second half.
“It was a good match only that my boys lost it in the second half as we let in those goals. It was, however, a good match and we have learnt something,” Chirwa said.
Wanderers Assistant Coach Meck Mwase was happy with his team’s play.
“We failed to utilise our chances in the first half but we came hard in the last half and scored those goals. We are happy with the win,” Mwase said
