Eagles, Karonga target maximum points away

Blue Eagles and Karonga United who have been allotted two fixtures away from home this weekend are targeting to amass Maximum points.

Blue Eagles have plagued the Northern Region teams, Rumphi United and Ekwendeni Hammers while the Crocodiles are in the Southern Region to play against Sable Farming and Mighty Tigers.

Both teams are facing the relegation coerced teams as Rumphi United are sprawled to the bottom of the table with 10 points from 25 games, Ekwendeni Hammers are on number 10 with 28 points from 24 games, Sable Farming are on number 14 with 18points from 23 games while Mighty Tigers occupy 12th place with 27 points from 26 games.

Coach for Blue Eagles, Eliya Kananji said they are not underrating their opponents as they are in need of maximum points this season to reach their target.

The Club’s Chairperson, Alexander Ngwala disclosed that they have plans to participate in the continental football should the team finish in top 4.

The Cops sit third with 46 points from 21 games and they have a chance to cut their 10-point gap with Bullets to 7 should they win their all two games, and the gap could be cut to 4 points should Bullets lose to Silver Strikers on Sunday.

In the first round, Blue Eagles were held to a 1-all stalemate by Ekwendeni Hammers and they beat Runphi United by two goals to nill, Kananji whose team have conceded only 6 goals this season said they are looking for Maximum points.

“We are here for mission and our aim is to do well in both games. It will not be a simple task because both of them [Ekwendeni & Rumphi] their play is not well known and they are fighting for relegation. We need to do well on the ground and win the games. We have been telling the players not to underrate the games so that we avoid repeating the mistakes that we made against TN Stars,” said Kananji.

The trip to North for the Eagles has been hit by injuries and suspensions as Sankhani Mkandawire, Jacob Robert and Brighton Munthali but the coach is upbeat that the players that are available will deliver the desired results.

“We will miss them. Jacob [Robert] is one of the players that have played more games this season but we signed 30 players and we believe that those players available will do the work,” he added.

Last week Ekwendeni Hammers Head Coach, Gilbert Chirwa said he is thrilled with the responsibility that his players have shown in their recent four games.

Gilbert Chirwa replaced the sacked Etson-Kadenge Mwafulirwa two months ago and the former Nyasa Big Bullets mentor targeted to improve the team’s performance first before getting results.

“I am trying to fix the play of the team though I have come late but my boys are responding well with what am telling them.

“We had problems of keeping the ball in the half of our opponent which is our offensive zone but with time I’m sure we will pick up and I’m confident that as a team we will start doing well” said Chirwa after being with the team just two days.

When he was appointed, Hammers were in danger zone, position 14 with 14 points from 18 games.

He started his tenure with a feasible performance as they [Hammers] held Bankers to a 1-all draw at Mzuzu Stadium before recording back-to-back defeats against Moyale Barracks and Mighty Tigers.

Since the appointment of Chirwa, Hammers have played 8 games, winning four, drawing 2 and losing 2 and they have seen themselves out of the relegation zone with four games to go.

The first win for the team under Chirwa’s mentorship was against Sable Farming when they beat the Chiradzulu-based farmers by 2 goals to nill before a thumping 4-0 victory over Dedza Dynamos.

Their resurgence continued with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away from home in Balaka against Red Lions before another master class performance against Karonga United a game that they ruthless hammered the Crocodiles by four goals to nill.

Speaking to the team’s media team, Chirwa said he was pleased with the players’ commitment and urged them to continue doing it in their next four games.

“We know we need wins, draws aren’t going to be enough,” the head coach Gilbert Chirwa said after their latest win against Karonga United.

“But I think all we have to do in every game is give our all and I think you saw a group of players who gave that. I couldn’t ask any more of those players who committed to the task ahead so I have to be very proud and pleased with them,” added the Coach.

Gift Chunga, Wongani Lungu Chawanangwa Gumbo are the players who enjoying the games since the coming of new Coach.

Gift Chunga has scored 6 goals in the 8 games that he has played under Chirwa’s mentorship. He scored against Moyale, Tigers, Sable Farming, brace against Dedza, and Karonga United.

Ekwendeni Hammers have managed to double their points in just 8 games as compared to those they collected in their first 14 games. They are on number 10 with 28 points from 26 games and they have remained with four arduous games as 3 of the teams that they have remained with are fighting for Championship and top 4.

After this game, a trip to Blantyre for Hammers will follow as they will face Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who are on number 4. They will also have a trip to Lilongwe to play against Civo Service United and they will wrap up their league with a home against Kamuzu Barracks.

As for Karonga, Christopher Nyambose’s boys are coming from an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Ekwendeni Hammers and the mentor said his boys should recover from that defeat.

“It is for the first time for a big team like Karonga to lose with that margin [4-0 against Ekwendeni] but it has gone and we need to look forward. It happens in football, a team can lose, win or draw but this time around, of course, am preparing my boys psychologically because they were affected by that loss and we don’t want to repeat that bad result.

“The league is going towards the end and now we have just remained with 7 games we need to collect points, we need to have maximum points at all costs,” said Nyambose.

Sable Farming managed to get a point away from home in Karonga in the first round after a 1-all draw while Tigers lost to the Ingwina, Nyambose said they need to repeat from where they left in the first round.

“We are approaching the games positively,” added Nyambose.

Meanwhile, Coach for Sable Farming Macdonald Mtetemera said as the league is going towards the end, amassing Maximum points at home is a must.

“Either we play good or bad, but failing to win is not good. We drew against them in the first round but this time we need to avoid the mistakes and a win is a must for us though it won’t be easy,” said Mtetemera.

Elsewhere, Mighty Wanderers travel to the Central Region to face Kamuzu Barracks, Nyasa Big Bullets will be in Lilongwe against Silver Strikers among other fixtures this weekend.