Bullets need 6 points from remaining 4 games to retain TNM Super League

Following their 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Red Lions at Balaka Stadium on Wednesday, TNM Super League defending champions Nyasa Big Bullets took a one-point lead against arch rivals Mighty Wanderers.

They have 55 points with four games remaining while Wanderers have 54 with just two more games to wrap up their season.

Thus The People’s Team need 6 points from their remaining 4 games — whose next assignment is against 9th-placed Blue Eagles on Sunday another away game in Lilongwe — for them to retain the TNM Super League title for the 4th consecutive seasons.

If Mighty Wanderers win their two remaining matches, they will wrap up the season with maximum 60 points while Nyasa Big Bullets’ maximum will be 67 if they record full points from the remaining four to retain the title they have consecutively won from 2018, 2019, 2020-21, 2022.

Last season, the Bullets retained the title with 73 points — 14 away from their runners-up, Blue Eagles, who finished with 59 points and 16 away from third-placed Kamuzu Barracks (57) and 17 away from Mighty Wanderers (56) on 4th position while Silver Strikers were 5th with 51 points.

And The People’s Team — formerly named Bata Bullets, Total Bullets and Bakili Bullets — have won most of the titles (16) as inaugural champions in 1986, followed by 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020-21, 2022.

Silver Strikers follow at 8 (1993, 1994, 1996, 2008, 2010, 2011–12, 2012-13 and 2013.

Mighty Wanderers won it six times (1990, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2006 and 2017); ESCOM United twice (2007, 2010–11); and once by Admarc Tigers (1989); Civo United ((1987); MDC United (1988); Kamuzu Barracks (2016).

On Wednesday, Bullets were first to score in the 55th minute through Patrick Mwaungulu before Red Lions equalized through Deus Mkutu 20 minutes later (75′).

The draw still leaves Red Lions on precariously red relegation zone (15th) with 29 points and remaining with one game while fellow military side Moyale are at 14th with 31 points and two games to go.

At the top of the two are MAFCO (13th) with 32 points and three games to go; Ekwendeni Hammers (12th) with 33 points and one game left and Civil Service United (11th) also with 33 points but with two more to go.

The defending champions have these games in hand following a congested fixture arrangement for them as in the past three months, on top of the TNM Super League assignments, they have honoured four tough CAF Champions League international matches — two being two legs against one of Africa’s top sides, TP Mazembe.

They have also been involved in the domestic FDH Bank Cup and the Airtel Top 8 and the Castel Challenge Cup.

Meanwhile, Extreme FC have been officially declared as relegated with a game to go at 18 points after their 0-1 loss to 4th-placed Kamuzu Barracks through a goal from Sherif Maulana that was scored on the 90th minute.

Ekwendeni Hammers beat Civil Service United 3-2 with goals from Samson Phiri (7′), Wongani Lungu (49′) and Blessings Singini (74′) while Civil netted through an equalizer from Binwell Katinji (29′) before adding a consolation goal through John Dambuleni (76′).

Sharing is caring!