Wanderers crash out of CAF CC after 8-7 defeat to Galaxy on penalties

Mighty Wanderers’ continental aspirations were extinguished in devastating fashion as they succumbed to an 8-7 penalty shootout defeat against Jwaneng Galaxy in Francistown. The Malawian outfit’s dreams were shattered when substitutes Nanison Mbewe and Peter Cholopi squandered crucial spot-kicks in the climactic shootout.

The Nomads entered the return leg with a slender 1-0 advantage from the first leg, courtesy of Felix Zulu’s late strike at home. However, Galaxy’s 75th-minute equalizer through Namibian striker Dynamo Fredrick forced the tie into penalties, where the Botswana side prevailed to advance to the next round.

First Half: Wanderers Weather Early Storm

Coach Bob Mpinganjira made tactical adjustments from the first leg, switching from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3 formation and bringing Peter Cholopi into the starting lineup alongside Emmanuel Nyirenda in central defense.

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Jwaneng Galaxy started aggressively, pressing high and earning corner kicks within the opening five minutes. The hosts’ intent was clear – they needed an early goal to level the aggregate score. Cholopi proved his worth immediately, making crucial defensive interventions to keep the visitors’ goal intact.

Wanderers responded through Muhammad Sulumba, who won a free-kick in a dangerous position outside the penalty area. Isaac Kaliati stepped up but saw his effort blocked, with the resulting corner kick failing to trouble the home defense.

Goalkeeper Dalitso Khungwa, who has been in excellent form this season, made several important saves to preserve Wanderers’ aggregate lead. The Nomads’ defensive unit, which has conceded just seven goals in 17 league games this season, stood firm against sustained pressure from the hosts.

Second Half: Galaxy Strike Gold

The second half began with Mpinganjira making an immediate change, replacing the ineffective Sulumba with Blessings Singini to inject pace into the attack. However, Galaxy continued to dominate possession and territorial advantage.

The hosts maintained their intensity from the first half, earning two corner kicks within the opening five minutes of the second period. Blessings Mwalirino came close in the 65th minute with a powerful effort that the Galaxy goalkeeper fumbled before recovering at the second attempt.

As Wanderers sought to consolidate their position, Mpinganjira introduced defensive midfielder Nanison Mbewe for striker Promise Kamwendo in the 74th minute. However, this tactical adjustment backfired almost immediately.

In the 75th minute, Galaxy finally found their breakthrough. Namibian forward Dynamo Fredrick showed excellent composure to slot home after being set up by Makgantia, leveling the tie on aggregate and sending the home crowd into raptures.

Wanderers pushed forward desperately in the closing stages, with Singini forcing a save from the Galaxy goalkeeper, but they couldn’t find the crucial away goal that would have seen them through.

Penalty Drama: Galaxy 8-7 Wanderers

With the aggregate score tied at 1-1, the tie went to penalties. The shootout proved to be a nail-biting affair that swung both ways.

Thabang Sesiny opened the scoring for Galaxy before Isaac Kaliati responded for Wanderers. The drama intensified when Francis Setsile blazed his effort over the bar, giving Wanderers the advantage when Emmanuel Nyirenda converted confidently. Jacob Everson restored parity for the hosts, matched by Mwalilino’s precise finish for the visitors.

Neo Mokhathane maintained Galaxy’s composure from twelve yards, but Peter Cholopi faltered under pressure, sending his penalty wide to level the shootout at 3-3. The tension escalated as Kgotso Radithongwa and Wisdom Mpinganjira both found the net, followed by successful conversions from Tshepho Kaselebale and Blessings Singini.

With both teams having scored six penalties each, the shootout entered sudden death territory. Galaxy’s seventh and eighth penalty takers held their nerve, but when it mattered most, substitute Nanison Mbewe’s effort was saved, sealing Wanderers’ fate and sending the Botswana side through to the next round.

Analysis: First leg missed chances prove costly

The elimination will be particularly excruciating for Wanderers given their overwhelming dominance in the first leg at home. Despite controlling substantial portions of that encounter, they managed only one goal against a Galaxy side that candidly admitted they came to Malawi seeking a positive result to take back to Botswana.

Galaxy’s head coach Sean Connor acknowledged in his post-match press conference in Malawi that his team’s strategy was to preserve the tie for the return leg, and this pragmatic approach ultimately yielded dividends.

Muhammad Sulumba’s below-par performance in both legs will be a source of frustration. The experienced striker, who has over a decade of professional football behind him, failed to capitalize on several clear-cut chances in the first leg, including headers and shots that either went wide or across the face of goal.

Coach Bob Mpinganjira admitted after the first leg that his side should have scored more goals at home, highlighting an ongoing problem that has plagued Wanderers throughout the domestic season. With just 24 goals in 17 Super League games this season, their scoring record pales in comparison to rivals Bullets (41 goals in 18 games) and Silver Strikers (27 goals in 17 games).

This premature exit represents another disheartening continental campaign for Mighty Wanderers, whose previous appearance in CAF competition was in 2018 when they endured a comprehensive 6-1 aggregate defeat to AS Vita SC in the Champions League.

Jwaneng Galaxy now advance to confront the victor of the encounter between Zambia’s Zesco United and Gabon’s FC 105 in the subsequent round of the competition.

For Wanderers, attention must now revert to domestic obligations as they endeavor to rectify their goalscoring inadequacies and consolidate for future continental ventures. The experience garnered from this truncated return to international football, though culminating in disappointment, should serve as invaluable preparation for their next opportunity on the continental stage.