Silver open six-point gap
Silver Strikers yesterday stretched their lead at the summit of the TNM Super League table to six points following their 2-1 win over Chitipa United at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe.
The Central Bankers now have 31 points from 13 matches while second-placed Nyasa Big Bullets have 25 points with a game in hand.
However, Silver laboured for the win as Chitipa fought from start to finish.
Duncan Nyoni gave the hosts the lead after the half hour mark to go into recess with a 1-0 lead.
This was after Chitipa goalkeeper George Chiooka brilliantly kept out Stain Dave’s spot-kick which was awarded after Nyoni was fouled in the box
Patrick Macheso doubled Silver’s lead in the 52nd minute before KhumboNgámbi reduced the arrears in the 72nd minute.
The visitors fought for an equaliser, but the Central Bankers defended the lead to the last whistle.
Silver’s Zambian coach Dan Kabwe admitted that his charges were out of sorts.
He said: “Complacency crept in. I am not excited with our performance but at the end of the day, we won.
“Chitipa played good football. I expected a good game, but it was a disappointing one. We will go back to the drawing board.”
On his part, Chitipa coach Christopher Nyambose said his team controlled the second half in which they missed a number of chances.
“It was a game of two halves, Silver dominated the first half and we dominated the second half,” he said.
Chitipa, who are third from the bottom in the 16-team top-flight league, have finished the first round.
It was a bad outing for Chitipa who also lost 1-0 to Kamuzu Barracks on Saturday.
At Nankhaka Stadium, Blue Eagles were held to a one-all draw by Mafco FC. Zikani Sichinga put the Salima-based Malawi Defence Force side ahead before Mphatso Philimon equalised for the cops.
