Peter Mgangira says FDH Bank Cup final will be ‘different game’ despite Dedza draw

Silver Strikers head coach Peter Mgangira insists his team will not be affected by Wednesday’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Dedza Dynamos when they face Mighty Wanderers in Sunday’s FDH Bank Cup final at Bingu National Stadium.

The Bankers played the second half with 10 men after defender Maxwell Paipi was sent off towards the end of the first half, forcing them to settle for a point in their league match away from home.

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However, Mgangira maintains the cup final will be an entirely different proposition.

“As Silver Strikers, we take one game at a time. We can’t say that we were preparing for the final today,” Mgangira said. “Every time, we look at the game at hand. We came with a game plan to win but the red card affected us. It was not the result we expected, but because we were playing away and with a man down, we are happy with the point.”

The blue derby will see both Lilongwe-based clubs competing for the prestigious trophy, with MK45 million at stake for the winners—up from MK35 million after FDH Bank increased the total prize pool from MK150 million to MK250 million this year. Runners-up will receive MK20 million while semi-finalists get MK8 million.

It will be the first time Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers face off in a cup final since 2018. Silver Strikers are seeking to win the tournament for the second time since it was introduced in 2021, while Wanderers are chasing their maiden title.

Silver Strikers reached the final after beating Civil Service United in the semi-finals, while Wanderers eliminated defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets in their semi-final clash.

Wanderers’ scheduled league match against Ekhaya FC was abandoned due to heavy rainfall, meaning they will come into the final fresher than their opponents.