TNM Super League Week 32 Preview

By Antony Isaiah Jr:……..

As the season is fast-moving to the very end, 8 teams have been tasked to skirmish for the points this weekend. With three teams [Rumphi United, TN Stars and Sable Farming] already relegated, battles at stake are top 8 and 3 finish, and Championship.

Nyasa Big Bullets are just one step away from grasping the TNM Super League for the fourth time in four years as they are not facing much rivalry from the Cops, Blue Eagles. Mighty Mukuru Wanderers, Kamuzu Barracks are wrangling for the top 3 finish while Civo Service United and Dedza Dynamos are squabbling for the top 8 finish.

NYASA BIG BULLETS VS MOYALE

This is one of the finest facades in the history of Malawian football and the watchableness and glamour of the game is being coupled by the fact that the two teams went like a bat out of hell in their respective midweek assignments.

Nyasa Big Bullets whack Mighty Tigers 2-0 to put the league away from second-placed Blue Eagles while the Lions of Kaning’ina dazed Mighty Mukuru Wanderers by a goal to nill at Kamuzu Stadium. The win for Moyale saw them welding their grip in the Top 8 as they have 48 points from 29 games.

This is going to be the third meeting between the two sides this season – Nyasa Big Bullets have managed to win all the two games. They won 2-0 at Mzuzu Stadium before booting the soldiers out of the FDH Bank Cup on shootouts after a pulsating 4-all draws.

This will be for the first time since 2015 for a team to win the league with 2 games to go before wrapping the season should Nyasa Big Bullets avoid a defeat against Moyale Barracks.

In 35 meetings between the two clubs in all competetions, Moyale Barracks have only won three times while the people’s team have won 20 times.

Out of 20 wins, 14 wins have been recorded at home for Nyasa Big Bullets while 6 have been recorded on the road. Moyale Barracks are yet to beat Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium in 19 meetings.

TN STARS VS KARONGA UNITED

After conceding 12 goals in two games, Karonga United will face the relegated TN Stars on Saturday at the Kasungu Stadium.

The Crocodiles were tasked to play four games away from home- They started with a 7-0 defeat in the Airtel Top 8 Cup to Nyasa Big Bullets before another baptism 5-0 in the hands of Mafco on Wednesday afternoon.

Karonga are safe from relegation chop but they will be eager to boomerang to the winning ways after a tough spell as they will also return to the Commercial City to face the Super League Champions.

In the first round, Karonga United used a home-ground advantage to beat TN 2-1, thanks to Josiah Duwah and Ramadan Ntafu’s strikes while Alexander Cosmas was on target for the Stars.

Each team have a record of two wins in their last 9 meetings while 5 games ended in stalemate.

Christopher Nyambose’s boys have scored 8 goals in the fixture, so too is TN Stars.

Karonga are currently on 11th with 31 points 28 games while TN Stars even if a win will change nothing on the log table as they have already been relegated to the second tie league- they are currently on with 16 points from 28 games.

MIGHTY MUKURU WANDERERS VS CIVO SERVICE UNITED

If they are to finish in top three, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers must beat the Servants at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday praying for Kamuzu Baracks to lose to Ekwendeni Hammers in another grudge match.

However, the Nomads will have to dig for the win as they are facing a resilient side who play at top notch against top teams.

Only one top Club, Nyasa Big Bullets managed to beat them while with Silver Strikers they shared the spoils twice. Civo held Wanderers at Civo Stadium and they also held Blue Eagles.

Nomads have only won one game in their last 3 games- they were beaten by Blue Eagles before another painful defeat to Moyale Barracks, a defeat which is slowly pulling the Nomads out of the hunt for top three where they have been singing for.

28 meetings between the two teams with Mighty Wanderers winning 14 of those while the Pride of Lilongwe have only managed to win two games with 12 games ending in stalemate.

The last time that Civo Service United managed to beat Mighty Mukuru Wanderers was in 2017 when they escaped away with a win after Fletcher Bandawe and Innocent Tanganyika pillaged their goals. The last time they won at Kamuzu Stadium was back in 2011.

A win for Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will see them heading into the top four and probably top 3 should Hammers stop Kamuzu Barracks. As for Civo, a win will see them cementing their grip in the Top 8 at the end of the season. They are currently 8th with 42 games from 29 games.

EKWENDENI HAMMERS VS KAMUZU BARRACKS

This is a game that has carried both Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Kamuzu Barracks’ hope of finishing in top three. A win for Kamuzu Baracks will cement their place in the top 3 as it has been their wish a song they have been singing while a win for Gilbert Chirwa’s boys will give the Nomads the hope for top 3.

Ekwendeni Hammers are currently on number 10 with 31points 29 games and they are fighting to finish the season on good position while Kamuzu Baracks have 57 points with 29 games on number 2 and a win will take them to 60 and they will climb the table to number 2, a point above Blue Eagles who have 59 points from 28 games.

The Chioko-based Soldiers are on a two-game winning streak after beating Moyale Barracks and TN Stars while Hammers are on the opposite position, they have lost their last two games. They lost to Mighty Mukuru Wanderers and Civo Service United. In three meetings, the 2016 Super League Champions have managed to walk away with 1-0 victories. Hammers are the only side to have failed hit Kamuzu Barracks’ roof in three games.