Buoyant CRECK aims for upset against reigning champions Silver Strikers

CRECK Sporting Club will today seek to clinch consecutive TNM Super League victories as they face off against Silver Strikers at Aubrey Dimba Stadium. This mid-week fixture sees the two capital city-based outfits journey westward to Mchinji District for what promises to be a compelling elite league showdown.

CRECK enter this encounter buoyed by a hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Moyale Barracks this past weekend. Their opponents, Silver Strikers, last featured in a league match on Wednesday, June 25, securing a commanding 3-1 victory against Karonga United at Silver Stadium.

Although rested from league action over the weekend, Silver Strikers participated in the First Capital Bank 30-Year Existence Trophy, where a largely rotated squad impressively defeated an unfamiliar FCB Nyasa Big Bullets side 2-0.

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CRECK Head Coach Eliya Kananji expressed unwavering confidence heading into the clash with the reigning champions, despite admitting his squad’s underwhelming performance against Moyale. “I am confident because I saw my boys, they worked hard [against Moyale], and that is why I am looking forward to three points against Silver,” Kananji explained.

“The performance against Moyale was not really good enough, but at least we won the game and got three points, and now we are meeting Silver and looking forward to getting three points again. I have told my boys to go into the game without fear.” The coach also welcomed the return of experienced attacker George Chaomba, who is back in the squad after serving a suspension.

However, CRECK will contend with significant absences. They remain without captain Hadji Wali, who is serving a four-match suspension. Additionally, Miracle Gabeya is sidelined for three games following a disciplinary offense involving Maxwell Gasten Phodo during an Airtel Top 8 quarterfinal return leg on April 25 at Nankhaka Stadium. The club’s injury list further compounds their challenges, as Andrew Bisika, Peter Godfrey, Gift Kadawati, and Ganizani Kapuchi are all unavailable.

On the other side, Silver Strikers Head Coach Peter Mgangira underscored the fixture’s critical importance for his team’s title defense aspirations. “We are playing against CRECK, a very good team with an experienced coach; they won last week [against Moyale], so I am sure it will be a good game, but we are ready for it,” Mgangira asserted.

“It is about confidence and the hunger of achieving our goal. We are defending champions, and we need to do well. So, no excuses, but we will give it our all.”

Silver Strikers will, however, be without their midfield maestro Chimwemwe Idana, who recently completed a move to Zanaco FC in Zambia’s top-flight league. Despite this significant loss, Mgangira maintains confidence in the depth of his squad.

He reiterated that while Idana’s leadership and talent are irreplaceable, the team possesses other capable players ready to rise to the occasion. Mgangira also admitted that the strong performances across the squad are presenting the technical panel with a welcome selection dilemma.

All eyes now turn to Mchinji for this high-stakes encounter, where CRECK will aim to build momentum and Silver Strikers will look to consolidate their pursuit of another league title.