Mzuzu City Hammers head coach Elias Chirambo has reiterated that his team will not be relegated this season despite remaining third from the bottom of the table.
Hammers recorded their second win in three games on Wednesday when they defeated Dedza Dynamos 1-0 at Mzuzu Stadium. Alex Orotomal scored the only goal in the 60th minute—his second in three games—after also finding the net in Hammers’ 2-1 win over Mighty Tigers before their loss to Civil Service United.
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The goal came from a goalkeeping error when Dedza goalkeeper Dennis Phiri inexplicably failed to handle a simple ball thrown into the box, gifting Orotomal an easy tap-in at the goal line.
Speaking after the game, Chirambo said Hammers are just a few wins away from moving out of the bottom three and expressed confidence they will survive relegation.
“It was a tough game. Dedza came with their strategy and we really struggled with it in the first half. But in the second half, after talking with the players at halftime, we were back in the game and I’m happy that we won,” said Chirambo.
“We struggled in the first half because I had to change the midfield—all of our regular midfielders are on the injury list. That’s why we were failing to be composed going forward.
“I reiterate that Mzuzu City Hammers will not be relegated. We are just one win away from getting out of the relegation zone. We have a very good team and we will not go down.”
Can Hammers survive the hammer?
Mzuzu City Hammers finished fourth last season but have underperformed this campaign, sitting 14th with 18 points from 20 games. Their current record stands at 5 wins, 3 draws and 12 defeats, having scored 16 goals and conceded 34—a goal difference of minus 18.
With 10 games remaining, Hammers face a challenging battle to secure survival. At their current win rate of 25 percent, they would earn approximately 7-8 more points, finishing on 25-26 points total—a tally that typically proves insufficient in relegation battles.
However, their recent form offers a glimmer of hope. Two wins in their last three games suggest an upward trajectory at a crucial time.
Hammers will play five home games at Mzuzu Stadium against Karonga United, Creck Sporting Club, Moyale Barracks, Mafco FC and Mighty Wanderers. These fixtures represent their best opportunity to accumulate points, particularly against fellow mid-table or struggling sides.
Their away schedule is considerably more daunting. Trips to face Songwe Border FC in Karonga, Chitipa United in Chitipa, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in Blantyre, and Kamuzu Barracks and Silver Strikers in Lilongwe will test their resilience. Matches against Big Bullets and Silver Strikers, in particular, are likely to prove difficult.
Football analysts suggest Hammers need approximately 12-14 points from their remaining 10 games to reach safety—requiring four wins and two draws, or similar combinations. This would mean doubling their current win percentage, a challenging but not impossible task given their recent improvement.
Several factors work against them. Their defensive record of conceding 1.7 goals per game is unsustainable for a team fighting relegation. The injury crisis affecting their midfield has disrupted team cohesion, as Chirambo acknowledged after the Dedza game. Additionally, their low scoring rate of just 16 goals in 20 games suggests persistent attacking problems.
Yet there are reasons for cautious optimism. Five home games provide a platform to accumulate crucial points. The recent upturn in form, with Orotomal finding his scoring touch, could prove timely. Most importantly, as Chirambo noted, one win would immediately lift them out of the relegation zone—a psychological boost that could galvanize the squad.
The mathematics of survival remain possible, but Hammers must significantly improve their defensive solidity, recover key midfielders from injury, and maximize points from their home fixtures while stealing at least one result on the road.
Coach Chirambo’s confidence may seem optimistic given the circumstances, but in relegation battles, belief can be as important as tactics. Whether Hammers can turn that belief into the points needed for survival will be determined over the next 10 crucial games.
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