Mzuzu Derby: Hammers’ coach bets on turning point amidst relegation woes

A dramatic reversal of fortunes has hit Mzuzu City Hammers, who, after an impressive fourth-place finish in the TNM Super League last season, now find themselves languishing second from bottom.

The “Iron Boys” are enduring a torrid campaign, firmly rooted in the relegation zone, scoring few and conceding many.

In nine matches, the Mzuzu-based side has only managed to net a mere 6 goals while shipping in a worrying 15, leaving them with a grim -9 goal difference. Only fellow strugglers Songwe Border have a worse record at -22.

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Their sole victory this season came early on against Dedza Dynamos in their second game.
Since then, it’s been a downhill slide, with three losses in their subsequent four fixtures, including a disappointing draw against “points donors” Songwe Border.

The Hammers’ season kicked off with a 3-1 defeat to Kamuzu Barracks, followed by the 1-0 win over Dedza. They then suffered a 3-2 loss to Mafco, drew 1-1 with Songwe, endured an embarrassing 6-1 thrashing by Blue Eagles, and most recently, fell 2-0 to Karonga United.

This afternoon, the Hammers face a crucial Mzuzu derby against unbeaten Moyale Barracks.

The match, surprisingly to be played in Rumphi, pits the struggling Hammers against the “Lions of Kaning’ina,” who sit 6th with 13 points from seven games. Despite their unbeaten run, Moyale Barracks have struggled to convert draws into wins, with four of their last five games ending in stalemates and only one victory.

Historically, the Mzuzu derby has been a tightly contested affair. In 11 meetings, Moyale has secured two wins, while the Hammers have managed just one.

Interestingly, the last four league encounters between these two Mzuzu giants have all ended in draws.

Amidst this backdrop of struggle, Hammers Assistant Coach Luckison Nyoni has made a bold declaration, stating that this derby will be the turning point for their season.

“This is our seventh game of the season; we are coming from strings of losses,” Nyoni admitted. “We are prepared for this derby, you don’t just play derby, you play to win, so we are geared for this game.”

He exuded confidence, adding, “Definitely, this is going to be our turning point, we are working hard to give our supporters the results that they want.”