Chilumba, Ntaja United deny Bangwe and Zitha second place as Jenda stay unbeaten in NDL second round

Bangwe All Stars and Namitete Zitha failed to leapflog Mitundu Baptist and occupy the second place in the NBS Bank National Division League after suffering defeats against Chilumba Barracks and Ntaja United respectively on Saturday afternoon.

Bangwe All Stars hoped for a perfect run in the second round of the League after picking a win last week but suffered a 2-1 defeat at the Chitipa Stadium while Zitha looked for a redemption as they were coming from a defeat and suffered a 0-1 defeat against the Eastern Region side.

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In Chitipa, Febbie Nyirenda opened the scores for Chilumba Barracks in the 33rd minute before Justice Mwamsamale adding second 7 minutes later and Moses Gunde stroke in the 55th minute to get a consolation goal for the visitors.

Head coach for the hosts, Nelson Chirwa, salutes his boys for their job well done to take down Bangwe All Stars in the game.

“It was a good game as we have played well into the game mostly in the first half where we dominated and scored two goals. In the second half, we dropped intensity and our friends scored but we fought hard and I’m happy to have won,” said Chirwa.

On his side, assistant coach for the team, Davie Matemba who went with the team in absence of Isaac Jomo Osman easily conceded the defeat.

“It was a tough game as we gifted two goals in the first half and second half we came back with a goal and found 3-4 chances which we missed so I can’t blame the boys because these are the same players that won last week,” said Matemba.

The win took Chilumba Barracks up to 15 points from 13 games on position 10 while Bangwe All Stars remain third in the standings with 20 points from 13 games as well.

Meanwhile, Lloyd Chilenga’s 19th minute goal from the spot was the difference at the Mchinji Community Ground as Ntaja United ended their winless run to stun Zitha.

Head coach for Ntaja United Mavuto Lungu said the win will help them to move back to positions which they deserve to be in the League.

“It was a tough game as we were playing away but we tried very so that we should and I am happy that we have managed it, we are in a low position on the table so this will help us move to our positions in the League,” said Lungu.

However Richard Fosiko of Namitete Zitha conceded the defeat by saying hid team failed to convert the chances that they created in the game.

“It was a tough game as our friends prepared well for this match, we tried so that we should win but we failed to and we have accepted the defeat, we will move on so that the next match we should do better,” said Fosiko.

The win took Ntaja United up to 9th on the table with 15 points from 13 games while Namitete Zitha remain fourth with 20 points from 13 games as well in the League.

In another thrilling match, Jenda United claimed their second point in the second round of the NDL after holding Chintheche United to a goalless draw at the Rumphi Stadium.

After managing to pick just three points in the whole first round, Jenda were held by Mchinji Villa last week at home before denying Chintheche a vital win to remain unbeaten in the second of the League.

Head coach for Chintheche United, Isaac Kapyepye, described the result as disappointing as they missed a lot of chances in the game.

“A painful game because we created a lot of chances in the first half but missed all, it wad also the same in the second half and with the fact that we were playing going we needed to win in thud game,” said Kapyepye.

On his part, Uchizi Nkunika of Jenda said he was satisfied with the point and warned the teams in the League that they will face different team from that in the first round.

“It was a tough game as we were dominated by our opponents in the first rounds where they lost a lot of chances and second half, we also got our chances and we missed so all I can say is that I’m satisfied with the point,” said Nkunika.

A point took Jenda up to five points from a win, two draws and 10 defeats on position 12 while Chintheche United are 7th with 17 points from 13 games in the league.