Idana scores as Silver beat resolute Mafco to return on top spot

Silver Strikers Football Club will go into to International break while leading the TNM Super League table after overpowering resolute Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) Football Club to a 1-0 win.

Chimwemwe Idana’s mantlepiece saw Pieter De Jongh’s side dislodging FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who run riot of Ekwendeni Hammers on Saturday from the summit of the table.

The Central Bankers are still unbeaten this season and it is their third win on bounce since recording back-to-back draws against Dedza Dynamos and Mighty Waka Waka Tigers.

Mafco FC who prior to the game where basking in euphoria after having two wins in a row have squandered the opportunity of going fourth on the table as they remain 10th with 11 points from 9 games.

Idana, M’balaka’s superior qualities separate two sides in a premium fare

No wonder, they were the two men contesting for the man of the match award in the game, Chimwemwe Idana and Tatenda M’balaka were having top-notch respective performance as they guide Silver Strikers to their sixth win of the season.

The Dutch Coach, De Jongh has shifted Tatenda M’balaka from playing as a full-back to the Central midfield where he is expressing himself. No player was fouled more times than him at Bingu National Stadium.

De Jongh went for the 4-4-2 diamond formation – sometimes called a 4-diamond-2 – which is different only from a standard 4-4-2 in its midfield shape. Silver’s midfield unit created a diamond, with Maxwell Paipi as a single pivot at the base, Tatenda M’balaka and Patrick Macheso as two number eights on the outside of the midfield four, while Idana was playing as number 10 at the tip of the diamond, playing underneath a front line of two forward players, Stain Davie and Duncan Nyoni.

Idana was the main link between the midfield and the attack, and often he used to take up positions between the lines – specifically aiming to threaten Mafco’s defence.

Mafco were forced to commit an early foul, just two minutes on the clock, Silver Strikers had tested Blessings Kameza who flew high to catch Mark Fodya’s free-kick close to the corner flag.

Charging from the midfield, M’balaka spotted Innocent Shema who was in his company before the full-back saw his cross being kept away by Kameza’s right foot.

Chimwemwe Idana had three attempts in the next 10 minutes, two flying over and one of them went.

With centre-forward, Stain Davie moved wide and, M’balaka and Macheso pushed forward, the Fodya and Shema inverted and moved into the space vacated by the eights, Silver had numerical advantage in the offensive zone.

Davie had the ball on the left flank, he went away from Captain Ndlovu to see Idana on the edge of the box, the number 44 quick-wittedly hit the left corner with his left-footed free-kick to put the Bankers on the lead.

Davie pressing Ndlovu, Idana man-marking pivot Yohane Malunga, Silver had another chance but Stain Davie rattled the crossbar from close-range with a header just minutes from Macheso’s missed chance.

It was a stain day for Stain Davie who missed several chances before Atusaye Nyondo replaced him. He nearly extended Bankers’ lead in the second-half but he was too slow as Paul Ndhlovu had to put him off the ball.

Tatenda M’balaka won the man of the match award to prove that his nomination for the player of the month of May was not by fluke.

A give away defeat for Mafco

Zikani Sichinga who ended FCB Nyasa Big Bullets’ unbeaten run at Dedza Stadium last season could have done better to rescue his team against Silver Strikers.

After surviving Silver’s early good start, Mafco FC stretched the hosts on the other end as Wakisa Kalinga charged down the right-hand flank to win the corner-kick which they failed to use properly as Mphatso Philimon headed over Charles Thom’s crossbar.

Former Sure Stream Acadamy and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets left attacker, Bernard Chimaimba was always a threat for the Bankers, he beat Shema before whistling his effort wide.

Blessings Kameza with one of his best performance tried to bring his teammates into the game by denying Davie from scoring after receiving a good cross from Duncan Nyoni.

There was an early warning of what could happen if Silver did not continue in the same vein when Yohane Malunga who was playing as a single pivot tried to push the team forward, only to see his Strikers fizzling out several chances. He just tried his luck but his powerful drive went wide.

Sichinga missed two scoring opportunities towards the end of the game as he failed to benefit from Chimaimba’s brilliance. Bernard beat Shema on the left before sending the begging ball into the box with both Sichinga and Innocent Makawano heading the wind as the ball crossed through the face of Thom.

Bernard Chimaimba again was in the thick of things as he saw his low drive rattling the upright but Sichinga but over the ball his touch in rebound.