It took a whopping 5 goals for Silver Strikers to clinch victory over MAFCO FC on Saturday at the Silver Stadium in Lilongwe. The Central Bankers were in action for their fourth match of the 2024 TNM Super League, following a draw against Dedza Dynamos the previous weekend.
Head Coach Peter Mponda shuffled his lineup, introducing Tatenda M’balaka for his season debut and bringing Nickson Mwase back into the starting eleven. Additionally, Charles Chipala earned his first start for Silver Strikers after making two appearances off the bench in previous matches.
The game got off to a sluggish start, with the visitors seizing the lead after 13 minutes through Martial Maluwa, capitalizing on a defensive error by goalkeeper George Chikooka and his backline.
The momentum shifted dramatically at the 32nd minute mark when referee Alfred Chilinda awarded the Central Bankers a penalty after Katinji was fouled in the box. Katinji stepped up to convert the spot-kick, sending Blessings Kameza the wrong way.
During the halftime break, the hosts made a tactical adjustment, substituting Zebron Kalima for Charles Chipala.
Eight minutes into the second half, Adiel Kaduya extended Silver Strikers’ lead with his third goal of the season, courtesy of a clever assist from Katinji.
Kaduya further solidified his performance at the 55-minute mark, completing his brace with a clinical finish from M’balaka’s assist.
The onslaught continued as M’balaka announced his return from injury at the 67th minute, tapping in a rebound from Kaduya’s powerful shot.
As the match wound down, Patrick Macheso and Innocent Shema were introduced in place of McDonald Lameck and Chimwemwe Idana at the 76th minute. In the final minutes of play, Stanie Davie and Emmanuel Kaunga joined the action, with Davie providing the assist for Macheso’s goal, sealing the victory for Silver Strikers.
Reflecting on the game, Coach Mponda acknowledged his team’s slow start but commended their overall performance.
“We have had a good game but we conceded early into the match, that wasn’t uncalled for but we recovered and won the game. I am happy that we have scored 5 goals today however that doesn’t mean Mafco was easy or wasn’t good but we played our cards right and carried the day”, said Mponda.
