Familiar foes: Civil host Mafco in battle for redemption

After a brief hiatus for the FIFA International Break, the Malawian elite league roars back to life this afternoon as Civil Service United and Mafco FC lock horns in a high-stakes encounter. Both teams find themselves languishing in the bottom half of the table, precariously close to the relegation zone, making this match a critical opportunity to gain vital points and ignite their seasons.

For Civil Service United, often known as “The Servants,” the season has been nothing short of a calamity. Despite pre-season motivation from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), including gala awards for top performers, their on-field performance has failed to inspire.

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Under the guidance of Abbas Makawa, Civil have managed just one win from seven games, suffering four defeats – a tally only surpassed by Songwe Border United and their opponents Mafco.

Their struggles are evident at both ends of the pitch. Civil have been porous in defense, conceding seven goals, and equally goal-shy, finding the net only four times in seven matches, resulting in a goal difference of -3.

Their season began with consecutive 1-0 defeats to Karonga United and Ekhaya FC. While they managed a barren draw against Mzuzu City Hammers in the Airtel Top 8 Cup and a 1-1 draw against Moyale Barracks, their sole victory came courtesy of Precious Chipungu’s brace against Blue Eagles.

This was followed by another 1-1 draw with Chitipa United. Despite a dominant 4-0 win over Mzuzu City Hammers in the Airtel Top 8 Cup, recent league form saw them fall 1-0 to Dedza Dynamos and 2-0 to Silver Strikers.

Mafco FC arrive at this fixture just a point and one spot above Civil on the league table, also desperate for a turnaround. They enter the match on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Creck Sporting and have secured only two wins this campaign, alongside five losses.

Their season started promisingly with a 1-0 home win against Chitipa United, but this was quickly followed by a 1-0 defeat to Karonga United and a humbling 4-0 loss to Kamuzu Barracks. Further defeats against Mighty Wanderers, Moyale Barracks, and Creck Sporting highlight their inconsistent form.

The historical rivalry between Civil Service United and Mafco FC has been tightly contested. Since 2011, Mafco holds a slender advantage with nine wins to Civil’s eight, with eight matches ending in a stalemate across all competitions.

Interestingly, the Salima-based Soldiers have been unbeaten against Civil Service United in their last six meetings, though this run includes four draws and only two wins. Civil’s last victory over Mafco dates back to 2021, a lone goal from Jaffali Chande at Civo Stadium.

Despite their struggles, both camps are expressing optimism ahead of this crucial encounter.

Charles Ben, Civil Service United’s Second Assistant Coach, stated, “The preparations have been going well… The players are ready and showing the desire to win the game, we are hopeful that we will get three points.” He added that the team has been “working in finishing to fix our scoring woes” and that “the morale is high.”

Mafco FC Coach Stereo Gondwe echoed similar sentiments: “We started preparing for this game last week and we have been preparing well. Our aim is to get the win as you know that we are not in good place on the log table. We have tried to work here and there and we want to see it on the ground.”