Three-horse race
For the first time in its weekly round ups, the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) secretariat declared boldly that the 2014 TNM Super League had turned into a three-horse race among new leaders Blue Eagles, Moyale Barracks and Big Bullets.
And going by results of round 18 of matches, nothing could be the truth.
The guessing is over—either this week’s leaders the Eagles, who coincidently set the trend in six opening weeks, or second-placed Moyale, who have been at the helm for a month, can claim their first ever league title.
If not, then the third-placed Bullets can grab the crown for the first time in nine seasons.
If Bullets are to win it, then it would be down to the right balance of new blood, youth and more crucially, wealth of experience.
Four of the Bullets seniors Jimmy Zakazaka, Fischer Kondowe, James Chilapondwa and Chiku Kanyenda [who seems on his way out] were part of the glory class of 2005 that last won the league. Then the team fell head-long on hard times.
Over the years, the revival has been gradual, Bullets have in the last two seasons consistently won silver such as the Presidential Cup. This season, they bagged the Carlsberg Cup. Going a notch better to seize the league crown would make the complete return to glory for this giant.
But if Bullets, for the ninth season miss the title, it will be all down to the in-fighting that threatens to split the squad and partly, to the new combinations that are taking time to gel. For example, upfront all strikers Mussa Manyenje, Jimmy Zakazaka, Jafalie Chande and Frazer Menyani are playing for the first time this season.
The other title favourites, Eagles, are also a safe bet owing to their high scoring home form, of 39 goals as of week 18 and relative consistency.
Even minus key players captain John Banda and Phillip Masiye, who frequent the national team, coach Derklerk Msakakuona has omitted overreliance on particular players.
Crucially, vice-captain Steve Chagoma, noted recently,“ the coach has gone for a more attacking formation this year. Previously, we could switch into defending when leading 1-0, but now we go for more goals.”
Such a galore of goals enabled the cops last week to jump to the top due to a healthier goal aggregate of 19 against17 for Moyale and 16 for Bullets. The three teams had tied on 37 points from 18 games as of last weekend.
“Our strength is attacking. None of our players are top scorers, yet we have scored the most,” Msakakuona told MBC Radio 2 FM last Tuesday.
In the equation come Moyale, who twice had a chance to stay top, but last week finally dropped to second after failing to win against Azam Tigers. Previously, Moyale stayed top when benefitting from Bullets’ slip up after being held by Epac.
After picking four points on the road, it is unthinkable that Moyale cannot win home games which would be crucial to their title aspirations. Moyale’s advantage is that they hardly lose, with their worst results being draws.
The other advantage is that they always score in every game and if Deus Nkutu or Gastin Simkonda cannot find the net, then the rest of the players are able to step to the plate to sneak in a goal.
In the final analysis, the three teams have brighter title prospects, but the Eagles boast a slight edge, because they play with two options; winning convincingly or losing cheaply. It is better to win two games and lose the next two than draw four back-to back matches. Such draws might cost Bullets and Moyale.
