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Khuda on fire

Silver Strikers forward Khuda ‘Ikenna’ Muyaba has raised the bar on his ambition to win the TNM Super League Golden Boot Award, saying his target is to become the first player in 14 seasons to hit the 20-goal mark.

The forward made the declaration yesterday after taking his tally to 18 goals on Sunday following a hat-trick he scored to help the Lilongwe-based Central  Bankers secure a 4-1 home victory over Ntopwa.

Muyaba’s latest target comes a few weeks after achieving his goal to displace Be Forward Wanderers’ Nigerian forward Babatunde Adepoju as the leading scorer. Currently, Muyaba has a four-goal advantage over Adepoju and Nyasa Big Bullets striker Hassan Kajoke, who are joint second  on 14 goals.

Muyaba (R) has taken his tally to 18 goals

The prolific forward said he is certain of achieving the feat as his team remains with four games to conclude their fixtures.

“I only need two goals in our remaining four games to achieve that feat and it would be a shock of my life if I fail to do that,” he said.

No player has won the elite league’s golden boot award with at least 20 goals since former Wanderers striker Aggrey Kanyenda notched 26 goals in the 2004/5 season. Since then, top-scorers have been revolving around 14 and 19 goals.

Former Nyasa Big Bullets striker Ganizani Malunga is the record holder of most goals in the top-flight league as he won the golden boot accolade with 28 goals in the 2002/3 season.

Last season, Muyaba scored 11 goals in the league that saw Bullets striker Chiukepo Msowoya winning the top-scorer’s award with 18 goals.

“Last season, I could not score more because it was my first season with the Bankers. Then, I had not yet settled and gelled with team-mates. However, it is a different story this season,” he said.

When asked how he feels to be excluded from the national team squad despite being the current Super League leading scorer, the striker said: “I do not care whether I am not in the national team as long as fulfil my dream of winning my first golden boot award in the elite league.”

Silver coach Abbas Makawa yesterday said Muyaba is on the right path to breaking the record because “he has a sharp eye for goals and has now made scoring as easy as eating nsima”.

Football anayst George Kaudza Masina yesterday said Muyaba is a revelation and he is likely to beat the scoring record with his exploits.

“It is just unfortunate that he is being sidelined from the Flames although he has the capability of being the solution to the national team’s scoring struggles. Football is about scoring and sidelining people with such talent is quite unusual,” he said.

“Ego is killing our football.The fact that top strikers such as Muyaba and Schumacher Kuwali [of Blue Eagles] are being sidelined remains a mystery.” Muyaba’s goals have  helped Silver maintain fourth position and keep their title hopes alive in the 16-team TNM Super League with 44 points from 26 games, five points behind leaders Bullets and four adrift of second-placed Wanderers, who have three games in hand. Blue Eagles beat Mlatho Mponela 3-2 at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe on Sunday to remain third with 47 points from 25 matches.

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