After a short break to pave way for the Malawi Scorchers’ two international friendly matches against Lesotho, the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Women’s Premiership resumes this weekend with leaders Silver Strikers Ladies face a stern test away to 4th-placed Mighty Wanderers Queens at Mpira Stadium on Sunday.
Silver Strikers Ladies have enjoyed a perfect start, winning all four of their matches to lead the standings on 12 points. Wanderers Queens, however, sit just three points behind on 9 points, alongside Ascent Soccer and Kukoma Ntopwa Women, setting up a tight race at the top.
Elsewhere, Ascent Soccer host 5th-placed Nyasa Big Bullets Women (7 points) at Ascent Ground on Sunday, while Ntopwa Women travel to Champion Stadium on Saturday to face 6th-placed MDF Lionesses (5 points). At the bottom end, Moyale Sisters (1 point) meet fellow strugglers MK Academy (1 point) at Mzuzu Stadium on Saturday, and winless Topik Academy host 7th-placed Civil Service Women (3 points) on Sunday.
The title race is heating up as Silver Strikers Ladies look over their shoulders at three teams just one win behind them. Wanderers Queens, Ascent Soccer, and Ntopwa Women are all on 9 points and ready to pounce. At the other end, Topik Academy, Moyale Sisters, and MK Academy face an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
Civil Service Women, currently on 3 points, will be aiming to hold onto 7th spot as any slip could see them displaced by MK Academy if the Lilongwe side beats Moyale Sisters.
Ascent Soccer also face pressure to protect second place since defeat to Nyasa Big Bullets Women would see them overtaken. Meanwhile, Wanderers Queens can only go top if they beat Silver Strikers Ladies by nine unanswered goals — an unlikely feat given the Bankers’ formidable goal difference of +11 compared to Wanderers’ +3.
Silver Strikers Ladies dominate the scoring charts, having netted six goals in a 5-1 thrashing of Topik Academy in Week 4, courtesy of braces from Linda Manda and Deborah Henry, an own goal from Chrissy Chirambo, and a strike from Wezzie Mvula.
The Golden Boot race is currently led by Deborah Henry (Silver Strikers) and Leticia Chinyamula (Ascent Soccer), both on 5 goals. They are closely followed by Mary Chavinda and Vanessa Issa (Nyasa Big Bullets), Kondawo Banda (Ntopwa), and Mayamiko Mkandawire (Ascent Soccer) with 3 goals each.
The Premiership’s return comes on the back of the Scorchers’ double 3-0 victories over Lesotho in friendly matches at Mpira Stadium, where Asimenye Simwaka starred with five goals across the two games, including a hat-trick on Sunday. Captain Sabina Thom also got on the scoresheet.
These friendlies were Malawi’s 8th international outings of the year and formed part of preparations for the COSAFA Women’s Championship and WAFCON qualifiers against Angola in October.
Adding to the morale, the Scorchers were recently hosted by league sponsors National Bank of Malawi, where they engaged staff and customers at branches in Victoria Avenue, Henderson Street, Limbe, and Chichiri Shopping Mall — a gesture reinforcing the bank’s brand as the “Bank of the Nation.”
