The Maravi Post

LILONGWE--Fresh from the 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Blue Eagles during the Standard Bank Cup re-launch a couple of weeks ago, defending TNM Super League champions Silver Strikers step to Nankhaka Stadium tomorrow, July 15,2012, hoping to exact revenge on the cops.

The bankers have been a shadow of the side that caused a stir during the opening games of the league by winning four consecutive games, three of them against giant sides like Big Bullets (4-0), Azam Tigers (2-0) and Mighty Wanderers (2-1).

After the back-to-back wins, the bankers’ form plunged miserably to the extent of the side losing to minnows Complex Madrid 2-1 in the Presidential Football Cup. They, however, proceeded to the next round of the competition via a boardroom decision after lodging a complaint to the organizers that Madrid used a player that featured in the same tournament for another team.

Little did the bankers know the implications of their actions as they were butchered 3-1 by a rejuvenated Bullets side at Kamuzu Stadium in the Presidential Cup round-of-16 phase.

Before being kicked out of the Presidential Cup for the second time this year alone, the bankers fell 2-1 to Blantyre United in the TNM Super Eagle before falling to Eagles during the Standard Bank Cup launch.

As the central bankers step onto the turf at Nankhaka tomorrow afternoon, the big question now is, will they manage to overcome the cops at their station, having failed to stop them at Silver Stadium?

Coach Thom Nkorongo feels it is possible for his troops to escape arrest at the police headquarters and run away with the three points.

“We can do it on Sunday. We have told the boys to put aside memories of the four defeats and concentrate on the job at hand. We have tried to rectify the mistakes and problems that have been there and hope the boys will deliver this time. We badly need a win to restore confidence in our camp,” said Nkorongo in a pre-match interview.

His counter-part Deklerk Msakakuona said the Eagles are aware of the visitors’ mission and will fly their wings out to repeat what they did at Silver. “If we did it away at Silver, what can stop us from doing it at home? We know it will be tough considering what our friends have been going through but we have been equally struggling and would like to get back to our usual form,” said Msakakuona.

Indeed the Eagles have also been struggling, having only managed five points from four league games. They lie third from bottom on the league’s standings. Silver are second with 12 points from five games.
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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.