Peter Mgangira: Weekend’s win over Yanga should be title charge launchpad

Just two full days after pulling off a very big victory in the CAF Champions League, Silver Strikers will resume their league duties the following day. It has to be a big game also against a team from the same city, Creck Sporting Club.

The Central Bankers are coming from stunning Tanzania champions, Young Africa Sporting Club in the continental showdown with Andrew Joseph stabbing the winner in the first leg.

Because of their involvement in the Champions League, Silver Strikers have already started feeling the pressure and the games are coming thick and fast. They have played three games less than some other teams as they have played just 18 while other teams have played 21 already.

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For that, the defending champions have been forced out of the top three following Karonga United’s win over Mzuzu City Hammers. They haven’t been impressive in the local league this season despite losing just two games. They are 10 points behind leaders, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.

Bullets will play on Wednesday against Mafco and Silver do have a chance of cutting the gap to just 7 by the end of Tuesday should they become the first team to beat Creck Sporting in regulation time after eight games.

When you win against top teams like Yanga SC, it should always be a fuel for the players but sometimes, it can also bring complacency in players.

Peter Mgangira admits that he needs to work with the mentality of the players and also physicality of players because they have been playing many games as of late.

“We have had a recovery session on Sunday, and we are trying our very best to manage them both physically and psychologically. We are doing our best, as we have just won the first leg, we have a lot to play for; therefore, we need to be professional. Playing on Tuesday will require us to forget about the result on Saturday. We have a good squad that we can alternate and see how best we can get a good result,” said Mgangira during the pre-match interviews.

After playing on Tuesday, Silver Strikers will have a day to recover before traveling to Tanzania on Thursday for their return leg against Yanga SC at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. Seven days, three crucial games in two crucial competitions.

Should they avoid a defeat away in Tanzania, the Bankers will qualify for the Group stages of the Champions League but Mgangira says he is valuing both competitions and that they will not think of resting players against Creck on Tuesday at Silver Stadium.

“We have a good squad that we can alternate and see how best we can get a good result. We are playing a motivated team and that is good at getting results; therefore, we also need to be at our best on Tuesday, as a win will give us a lot of confidence. We are the defending champions, and we need to win this match so that we can make the dream of defending the championship a reality.”

Weekend’s win should be motivator

Peter Mgangira said the win over Young Africa should fuel the team’s title ambition other than getting too excited.

Silver Strikers haven’t lost any game against any team other than Bullets this season but facing Creck Sporting will also give them something to think about before facing them.

“The youngsters are hungry to play, the win over the weekend should be more of giving us confidence rather than getting too excited. We are playing a team that is very good, a team that is hungry to do well. Starting from the owner [Clifford Kawinga] he always want to do well, so, I’m sure that they will come flat out knowing that they need to do well especially on the championship.

“It is not going to be easy but it doesn’t mean that it is going to be impossible. So, we will do our best to make sure that we do well and also a win will give us confidence so that we do well when we play away in CAF competitions.

“We are the defending champions, we also want equally want to do well, we cannot say that our main focus is in this particular competition, all competitions are equally important, so, we are coming from a loss to Nyasa Big Bullets in Blantyre, that should also give us a push to say yes, we have done well in CAF competition but we also have to well in Super League, we need to show that we can also defend this championship, everything is possible,” added Mgangira.

Their win at Bingu was like a poetic victory. By beating a team which has players from across the continent showed that Silver have a squad which can battle for championship this season but they haven’t been performing according to expectations.

Silver have won 10 games out of 18 that they have played and they are behind Big Bullets (14), Mighty Wanderers (12), Karonga United (11) and they are level with Civil Service United.

They are facing a team which is coming from a heartbreaking defeat to Mighty Wanderers in a cup game and they will be looking to recover from the setback and create the history as they are yet to win against Silver in three games.

In their last visit to Area 47, Creck were beaten 2-0 before settling for a 2-all stalemate in the reverse fixture last season. This season, Silver forced a win over Creck in the first round and they are in for another big game.

However, Creck have to do more to get a win at Silver Stadium where the Bankers are unbeaten in about two years now.

Trimmed Creck focus on finishing strong

Creck Sporting Club’s journey in the FDH Bank Cup came to an end on Sunday when they bowed out of the tournament after a penalty defeat to Wanderers FC.

Despite that, they showed great performances to battle with the perennial winners and heading into Tuesday’s game, Creck will hope to have the same energy.

They have also been pressed by congested fixtures, they played in Blantyre last Wednesday before playing on Sunday against Wanderers and they are now playing against Silver after just a day.

Creck will have a trimmed squad when they visit Silver with goalkeeper Brighton Munthali ruled out, Jackson Beza and Patrick Macheso.

“Goalkeeper Andrew Bisika earns his first call-up to the squad, replacing Brighton Munthali, who is suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Jackson Beza is also ruled out through suspension. Patrick Macheso misses out due to loan agreement terms.

“Babangida Ishaya returns to the squad after recovering from injury, marking his first appearance in the second round of the season. Patrick Mupanzi who missed FDH Cup against Wanderers on Sunday is also available for the match,” reads the team news by the club’s website.

Heading into their 21st league match, Creck Sporting occupy 10th position with 25 points, eyeing a potential climb to 8th place with a win on Tuesday.