Goal-drought undermines Airtel Top 8 Wakaa! Theme
Though launched under the theme Wakaa! in anticipation of massive goals, the 2019 Airtel Top 8 has produced just 11 goals.
No one has scored more than a goal as the competition reaches a climax this Saturday at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
So far, Khuda Muyaba, Duncan Nyoni, Michael Tete ( Silver Strikers), Lanken Mwale ( Civil Sporting Club), Stain Davie ( TN Stars), Gule Mwalubwa ( Karonga United), Natidu Haraz, Chimwemwe Chisambi ( Kamuzu Barracks), Maxwell Gastin (Mzuni), Juma Yatina and Mphatso Mozongoleza( Masters Security) have each scored a goal.
Soccer analyst Patrick Simango noted that the standard of play in the cup was behind the scarcity of goals.
“I have watched two Airtel Top 8 matches. What I have noted is that the teams play ‘kick and rush’ football so that they can get results. They are not organised and composed as they are in league matches. That has affected creative type of football. But it also boils down to the fact that most of the teams lack consistent goal scorers,” he said.
Another analyst George Chiusiwa also concurred with Simango, saying lack of goals is a common problem in the country’s elite football.
“This is not surprising at all. We have a serious problem both in the domestic league and cup competitions and this is system or institutional deficiency. It is clear that we are failing to drill our strikers at an early stage. We expect a lot from the players at highest level when we haven’t done much to nurture good attackers in our development system,” he said.
Since Silver and Karonga United have made it to the finals, the battle for the golden boot is open to Muyaba, Nyoni and Tete (all from Silver) and Mwalubwa of Karonga United have an advantage.
But any player who can score more than a goal in the final can as well win the golden boot.
Be Forward Wanderers midfielder Joseph Kamwendo won the 2018 Golden Boot Award with two goals scored in first and second leg quarter-finals against Kamuzu Barracks.
Teammate Khumbo Ng’ambi won the 2017 Golden Boot Award after netting three goals in semi-final against Moyale Barracks.
