Red Lions have engaged extra gear in their campaign for the NBS Bank National Division League (NDL) 2025 title as well as qualification into the elite TNM Super League by opening a 3-point lead after beating Ntaja United 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Balaka Stadium.
Ahead of the match, they were second but tying on 12 points with Mitundu Baptist, who lost 1-3 to Chintheche United on Saturday.
It has been a weekend of goals galore as on Saturday it was Chintheche United 3-1 Mitundu Baptist; Chilumba Barracks 2-2 Namitete Zitha and Sunday, FOMO FC 2-3 Ndirande Stars; Bangwe All Stars 5-2 Mchinji Villa and Jenda 0-2 Baka.
Following the 5-2 win over Mchinji Villa, Bangwe All Stars have moved to 3rd place, tying on 12 points with Mitundu Baptist, who are 2nd following goa difference separation. Bangwe have so far scored 12 goals and conceded 7 while Mitundu Baptist have 11 goals against 5.
After their 3-1 win over Mitundu Baptist on Saturday that earn total of 11 points, Namitete Zitha temporarily took 4th position, jumping from 7th, but now have been pushed to 6th.
Going into their match against Jenda United, Baka City were on 7th and the 2-0 win has placed them on 4th with 12 points sharing with Bangwe All Stars and Mitundu Baptist — and again separated by goal difference.
This is going to be a roller coaster race for the inaugural NBS Bank NDL in which the Zomba p-based Red Lions eye the return to the TNM Super League and coach, Malumbo Mkandawire said after the game said it was a tough game considering that Ntaja United are friendly foes, whom they have played against a number of times — thus the narrow result.
“They were well prepared for us,” he said. “But we are happy to secure all three points and now that we have taken the lead.
“Our fans should expect better results going forward as we are going to guard against the lead as we focus our attention to ultimately qualify for the Super League.”
His counterpart Chisomo Kamlanje said it was a balanced affair in which they missed many good chances and when you do that you get punished,” he said, adding that the future of the team is good having just lost two games from six assignments of three wins and two draws.
In the 7-goal p galore in which Bangwe All Stars’ Moses Gunde scoring twice (25′ from the spot and 59′) and another brace from Selemani Mussah (34′ and 66′, and Dyson Moffat 57′), coach Isaac Jomo Osman wasn’t satisfied with conceding two from Mchinji Villa’s Jafali John’s equaliser in the 29th and Kumbukani Bufote (64’).
He expressed satisfaction that they are improving game by game in which they have won four games and lost two and planned to score and avalanche of seven goals to have an advantage on goal difference towards the end of the league.
“We will work against conceding goals and that would be tough because our next assignment is against Mitundu Stars, who have lost two away and at home they will be very tough.
“We just ask the fans and partners to continue supporting our cause,” he said as he works towards getting back into the Super League after being relegated in the 2024 season.
Mchinji Villa’s Eliya Phiri rued their missed chances and a defence that committed some errors, which he was due to being away against a team they have never met before.
“The players were wary and lacked some confidence until we made some tactical changes, which world and we gave them a good run,” he said, adding that going forward, he will work on building the players’ confidence for away matches.
At Mulanje Park, Ndirande Stars came from behind to win 3-2, a result that has taken them to 9th position, displacing Chilumba Barracks, who had occupied it temporarily on Saturday after drawing 2-2 with Namitete Zitha.
Assistant coach, Robert Daudi said they conceded because they were jittery at the beginning since they were wary of their hosts but the players grew confidence as the game wore on.
“We encouraged them at half time to stay focused and they took advantage of errors our opponents made,” he said, adding that they will focus on building confidence as way forward.
On his part, FOMO FC coach Jimmy Zakazaka owned up that his players didn’t perform well, citing defensive lapses which their opponents easily pounced on, saying: “Though we were leading 2-0, we lacked confidence which led to making mistakes at the back — we need to strengthen the defence.”
