Analyst cautions Silver, Wanderers against defensive approach in CAF 2nd leg assignments

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda has cautioned Malawi’s representatives in the CAF tournaments—Silver Strikers and Mighty Wanderers—against adopting a defensive approach in their upcoming second-leg matches.

Both teams are heading into the second leg with positive results from their opening encounters. Silver Strikers, competing in the CAF Champions League, managed a 1-1 draw away against Elgeco Plus of Madagascar in Mauritius and will be hoping to at least avoid defeat when they host the return leg on Saturday at Bingu National Stadium.

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Meanwhile, Mighty Wanderers displayed a gallant performance in the CAF Confederation Cup, recording a 1-0 home victory against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy, thanks to Felix Zulu’s strike in the 80th minute. The Nomads will leave the country on Thursday for Botswana, where they hope to finish the job.

Speaking during the Soccer Show program on Zodiak Radio, veteran football analyst Charles Nyirenda urged both teams not to approach their games with defensive mindsets.

“I can remind them [Mighty Wanderers] that in 1997, they won here 1-0 against Lesotho’s Roma Rovers, but they were smashed 5-0 away and lost 5-1 on aggregate,” Nyirenda said. “I know this is painful to tell them, but what I can ask is that they should go to Botswana with attacking minds.

“The good thing is that most of their players represent the national team, and I believe this will help them because they have international experience. If you look at their players pound for pound, they have equally good players.

“For Silver Strikers, we don’t have details of their away game, but they should not be relaxed. Bullets once won against AmaZulu away but lost 3-1 at home, so they have to attack. The winning teams are always attacking teams.”

Wanderers face a Galaxy side that played cautiously at Bingu Stadium, as their coach admitted in the post-match press conference.

Wanderers head coach Bob Mpinganjira acknowledged that Jwaneng Galaxy showed glimpses of their potential and warned against underestimating them.

“Though I would have liked to win by more than one goal because we created chances but failed to convert them, I’m happy that we managed to score,” Mpinganjira said. “We should look forward to preparing for the return leg away.

“This team showed flashes that they are good and seem to have the potential to do better than they did in this match. We must prepare well—we can’t underrate them.”

Silver Strikers co-coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa expressed mixed feelings about the 1-1 result but remained optimistic about the second leg.

“The game ended 1-1, but it was a match we could have won at all costs,” Kadenge said. “I think we conceded a silly goal which we thought should have been offside—from where we stood, it looked offside. But we have to thank the boys; they fought until we drew the game.

“The tie is still open for us to progress to the next round. We still have the upper hand since we’ll be playing at home with our 12th player—our supporters. In front of them, we’re going to do better.

“We will definitely change our approach for the home leg. We know them better now, and we’re going to win at all costs.”