Six teams in Super League title race
Six teams still stand a chance of winning the 2019 TNM Super League after the first-round ended with six points separating the top six, Super League of Malawi (Sulom) statistics show.
After all the 16-teams played 15 matches, Be Forward Wanderers are top with 33 points, having failed to extend the gap after a 2-3 loss to Moyale Barracks at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
be much better
On this final day, Kamuzu Barracks (KB) drew with Mzuni to cement second position with 30 points while Nyasa Big Bullets lie third with 29 points.
Silver Strikers are fourth with 28 points while Blue Eagles, with 27 points, are fifth.
TN Stars are on sixth position with the same number of points, but trail the cops on superior goal difference.
In an interview, Blue Eagles assistant coach Wilson Chidati said the league is wide open and that they have not given up the fight.
“I don’t think there is a reason to surrender yet. The gap is still small. What we need is to improve our defending. Our attacking has been better than last season,” he said.
On his part, Kamuzu Barracks coach Billy Phambala also observed inconsistencies in most teams, which he said indicates that the league title chase is still open.
“A couple of teams are still in the race. However, we believe that, other than Wanderers, we stand a better chance of winning it,” he said.
Phambala fired up a warning shot to fellow title contenders revealing that he is expecting to beef up the squad with players that are returning from peacekeeping mission.
They include midfielder Harvey Nkacha and striker Kelvin Hanganda.
“We will be much better in the second-round. So, if we played well with players drawn from our reserves, how far shall we go with the experienced ones?” he said.
Meanwhile, Wanderers also intend to strengthen the squad with a striker and a midfielder, according to the club’s chairperson Gift Mkandawire.
Silver Strikers general secretary Lawrence Yobe also said they are likely to sign a few more players.
Football analyst Charles Nyirenda predicts that the title could still go to the traditional rivals Bullets and Wanderers.
“The other teams lack consistence. Look at Blue Eagles, they have beaten top teams Wanderers, Silver and Bullets but when they play other teams they are not up there. This i s the same with KB,” he said.
