NBS Bank National Division League leaders Red Lions began the second round in commanding fashion, defeating Namitete Zitha 2-0 at Balaka Stadium on Sunday afternoon to open up a crucial five-point lead at the summit.
Ferguson Mtondo broke the deadlock in the first half before Brown Gondwe sealed the victory in the 70th minute. The win was particularly significant as Zitha had the opportunity to move into second place following Mitundu Baptist’s slip-up on Saturday.
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Red Lions head coach Malumbo Mkandawire expressed satisfaction with the performance: “Starting the second round with a win is very important. We were playing at home and deserved the victory. The boys played exceptionally well, which shows our determination to win the league.”
However, Namitete Zitha head coach Richard Fosiko was less pleased, directing his frustration at the match officials. “The first goal demoralized our players because the ball didn’t fully cross the line. We also had a similar chance where our ball crossed the goal line, but it was denied,” Fosiko complained.
The victory sees Red Lions maintain their position at the top with 26 points from eight wins, two draws, and two defeats. Zitha dropped to fourth place with 20 points from five wins, five draws, and two losses.
Bangwe All Stars Rise to Third
Meanwhile, Bangwe All Stars climbed to third position and firmly established themselves as title contenders with a convincing 2-0 victory over Chintheche United at Mpira Stadium.
Selemani Size opened the scoring within two minutes, and Ellard Msosa doubled the advantage in the 42nd minute to secure Bangwe’s sixth win of the season.
Bangwe All Stars head coach Isaac Jomo Osman was pleased with the response after recent disappointment: “We’re coming off a cup defeat to Kamuzu Barracks and hadn’t played a league game for a month, so this win feels particularly good. However, we’re not satisfied yet – there’s still much work to be done.”
Chintheche United head coach Isaac Kapyepye felt the early goal disrupted their plans: “Conceding after just two minutes made it difficult for the players to settle into the game. We created good chances but failed to convert them. The second goal appeared offside and effectively ended our hopes.”
The victory lifted Bangwe All Stars to third place with 20 points from 12 games (six wins, two draws, four losses), while Chintheche United sits seventh with 16 points from four wins, four draws, and four defeats.
FOMO Held to Frustrating Draw
In Mulanje, FOMO FC were held to a 1-1 draw by Chilumba Barracks at Mulanje Park Stadium, despite dominating the second half.
Chimwemwe Kamowa gave FOMO the lead in the 34th minute, but Noah Clement equalized in first-half stoppage time, denying the hosts a chance to break into the top five.
FOMO head coach Jimmy Zakazaka accepted responsibility for the dropped points: “This was a game we deserved to win. We dominated the entire second half and created numerous chances, but our final touch wasn’t good enough. Our opponents barely had a shot on goal.”
Chilumba Barracks assistant coach George Haward blamed poor preparation conditions: “We weren’t provided with a training pitch after arriving, so we played without proper preparation and warm-up. That’s why we started slowly. It’s a draw, but we didn’t play well.”
FOMO remains sixth with 17 points from five wins, two draws, and five losses, while Chilumba Barracks stays in the relegation zone in 11th place with 12 points from two wins, six draws, and four defeats.
Bottom-Placed Jenda Earn Valuable Point
At Kasungu Stadium, bottom-of-the-table Jenda United opened their second-round campaign with a 1-1 draw against Mchinji Villa.
Wyson Nyirenda put Jenda ahead in the 23rd minute, but Davie Juwao leveled the scores just three minutes later to share the points.
Jenda head coach Uchizi Nkunika felt his team should have won by a larger margin: “We played very well and should have won convincingly, but our strikers weren’t clinical enough – something I’ve been emphasizing to them. We’ll keep working to improve our league position.”
Mchinji Villa’s Joseph Kamwendo admitted his team was complacent: “We started badly and managed to come back after conceding, but I’m not satisfied with our performance. I think underestimating a team at the bottom of the table cost us. We wanted three points, but this one point will still help us in the competition.”
The draw takes Jenda to four points from one win, one draw, and 10 defeats, while Villa sits ninth with 14 points from three wins, five draws, and four losses.
The 12th week of action produced 15 goals across six matches, with Ndirande Stars being the only team to score three goals in a single game.
Current Top Three:
- Red Lions – 26 points
- Mitundu Baptist
- Bangwe All Stars – 20 points
Relegation Zone:
- Mchinji Villa
- Ntaja United
- Chilumba Barracks
- Jenda United
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