The Super League of Malawi (Sulom) has lived by its word by releasing all the second round fixtures for the 2018 season.
This follows a similar move at the start of the campaign when Sulom put out all the 120 first round fixtures.
The second round of the season burst into life at the weekend with nine matches spread across all the three regions.
According to the fixture list, the 2018 league term will come to a close on December 22.
Most notable in this decisive round is the availability of the Kamuzu Stadium to host matches for the first time in over fifteen months.
The facility re-opens its doors this Saturday with a compelling cracker between Be Forward Wanderers and Tigers.
Among the second round games worthy salivating for, is the country’s most iconic fixture, the big Blantyre derby between sworn rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Wanderers which has been scheduled for 1 September.
The same month will also stage the capital city derby involving Silver Strikers and their nemesis Civil Sporting club on the 22nd day of the month.
Silver who are among the strong title contenders will have to contend with daunting trips to the south in between a week where current league leaders Bullets and third placed Wanderers will await.
The two blockbuster ties will fall in week 28 and 29 respectively and will potentially have a huge bearing on the destination of the championship.
The wanderers/ Silver duel is on 27 October while that against Bullets will follow a week later.
While Bullets and Silver are expected to be in action on the final day of the campaign(22 December), the fixture list reveals that Wanderers could by then have wrapped up their season about 42 days earlier (10 November), with Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers and the Fisd Cup engagements coming in between.
That’s how the fixture has been designed, which for the first time incorporates the calendar for two remaining local cups and national team assignments.
According to the calendar, the ongoing Carlsberg Cup will conclude on 6 October, while the finals of the yet to start Fisd Challenge Cup will take place on December 8.
Malawi’s first leg Afcon qualifier away to Morocco comes up next month, while the double-header against Cameroon falls within the month of October.
The Flames will travel to face Comoros in November.
A number of super league clubs have given Sulom a thumbs up for the development, which according to them simplifies planning and budgeting.
“With the full fixture-list we can plan well for the entire second round because we know when we will travel to the south or north,” said Thabo Nyirenda, general secretary for Silver Strikers.
Karonga United Chairman Alfeyo Chipanga echoed Nyirenda’ sentiments.
“For a self-sponsored club like ours, the fixture helps us to look for financial resources for the demanding away matches because we know when we will be asked to travel. Previously we would be informed of an away fixture four to five days away which was not easy to plan for,” said Chipanga.
