Friendly forces at war in Mzuzu
FF is an abbreviation for Friendly Forces and is used by police officers to greet their counterparts from the Army whenever they meet.
It is an appreciation that they are brothers in arms.
But expect no FF this afternoon at the Mzuzu Stadium when soldiers Moyale Barracks host cops from Police Headquarters Blue Eagles in a TNM Super League fixture.
At stake are just three points, but they seem so precious that the brothers in arms are geared to sacrifice their brotherhood–– at least for 90 minutes––to exchange bullets in the jungles of Kaning’ina.
It is expected to be an exciting encounter and fierce at the same time with the referee’s final whistle the only mediator.
It is a tight game as both teams are tied at 33 points, the only teams on the 15-team log table tied on points.
On position seven, Moyale are a place ahead on goal difference and have also played four games more than Blue Eagles.
Both teams are fighting to finish in the top six to earn automatic qualification into Standard Bank Cup.
Moyale under stand-in coach Stereo Gondwe have not had a good home-ground record. They have lost five games whereas Eagles are also bad travellers, having lost half of their 12 away games so far.
But Gondwe said in an interview his charges are determined to get the three points.
“As we are approaching the end of the season, it is a must to collect all points on offer, especially at home, so we are geared to win this match,” he said.
His counterpart Declerk Msakakuona said the cops want to win all four of their catch-up games which would see them move into the top two bracket.
Simkonda brothers, Andy and Gastin, are once again expected to lead the Mzuzu side against star-studded Blues Eagles squad of big names such as Charles Ngosi, Micium Mhone, Innocent Bokosi, Steven Chagoma and Peter Mgangira.
In Lilongwe, veteran coach Alex Masanjala makes a second appearance at his former home, Civo Stadium, as his second-from-bottom-placed Escom face Epac.
