By Suleman Chitera
Creck Sporting and Blue Eagles settled for a 1-1 draw in their exciting TNM Super League encounter played on Saturday afternoon at Aubrey Dimba Stadium in Mchinji.
The visitors, Blue Eagles FC, drew first blood as early as the 5th minute when striker Lanken Mwale capitalized on defensive lapses from Creck Sporting to slot home with composure, silencing the majority home crowd.
However, Creck Sporting FC wasted no time in responding. Just five minutes later, forward Frank Phiri connected beautifully with a cross inside the box to level the scores, sparking wild celebrations among home supporters.
From then on, both sides created numerous scoring opportunities, but neither could find a breakthrough. The match eventually ended 1-1, with both teams walking away with a point each as the battle for better league positions continues.
Coaches React
Speaking after the match, Blue Eagles head coach Deklerk Msakakuona praised his side’s early dominance but admitted that facing Creck Sporting is always a tough assignment.
“We started very well and got our goal, but when you face Creck, you must always expect a fight. Matches between us are never easy, and today showed exactly that,” said Msakakuona.
He added that his team will now focus on the upcoming FDH Bank Cup Quarter Final, where they will lock horns with their city rivals Silver Strikers in what promises to be a fierce derby.
“Our concentration now turns to the FDH Bank Cup fixture against Silver Strikers. It’s a huge game for us, and we must prepare thoroughly because derbies are always decided by small margins,” emphasized Msakakuona.
On the other hand, Creck Sporting coach Elia Kananji admitted that conceding an early goal nearly destabilized his side’s rhythm but was impressed by their quick response and resilience.
“The early goal we conceded could easily have changed everything, but I must commend the boys for quickly regrouping and showing determination to come back strongly into the contest,” said Kananji.
While he acknowledged that his side had targeted maximum points, he was content with the draw, noting that Creck and Eagles also shared spoils in the first-round fixture.
“Of course, we wanted to win and secure three points, but a draw is not entirely bad. What matters is the resilience we displayed after the early setback,” stressed Kananji.
Looking ahead, Kananji shifted focus to their FDH Bank Cup Quarter Final clash against Mighty Wanderers, which he described as a defining fixture for the team.
Other TNM Super League Results
Meanwhile, at Chitipa Stadium, Chitipa United secured a 2-0 victory over Moyale Barracks with quick first-half goals from Zenga Manda (31st minute) and Peter Barry (40th minute).
At Karonga Stadium, Karonga United edged Songwe Border 1-0 thanks to a decisive 34th-minute strike from Anthony Mfune, sending the home fans into jubilation.
TNM Super League Standings
After Saturday’s fixtures:
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets continue to lead the TNM Super League table with 43 points from 18 matches.
Mighty Wanderers are close behind in second position with 39 points from 17 games.
With the season heating up, fans can expect more thrilling action as teams battle for the coveted league title and qualification for continental football
