Zulu strikes as Wanderers claim advantage over Galaxy

By Adrian Kumbemba

Mighty Wanderers secured a vital 1-0 victory over Jwaneng Galaxy on Sunday afternoon at Bingu National Stadium, putting themselves in pole position ahead of next week’s decisive second leg in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round.

Felix Zulu scored a brilliant goal from outside the box to hand the Nomads an advantage ahead of the second leg scheduled for 27 September in Francistown.

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The Nomads started the match as expected, controlling possession and dictating the tempo in the opening exchanges. However, their dominance in midfield failed to translate into clear-cut chances as they struggled to unlock a well-organized Galaxy defense.

The visitors from Botswana employed frustrating delaying tactics throughout the first period, disrupting Wanderers’ rhythm and ensuring the teams went into the break deadlocked at 0-0. Despite their territorial advantage, the hosts were unable to find the breakthrough their early dominance deserved.

The match’s turning point came in the 74th minute when coach Bob Mpinganjira made a double substitution that would prove decisive. The experienced tactician introduced pace and creativity to his attack, bringing on speedy winger Adam Wallace and striker Promise Kamwendo in place of veteran forward Muhammad Sulumba and midfielder Masiya Manda.

The tactical switch immediately paid dividends as Wanderers began to stretch the Galaxy defense and create the kind of opportunities that had eluded them in the first half.

With ten minutes remaining on the clock, Felix Zulu provided the moment of magic that settled the contest. The midfielder unleashed a spectacular long-range effort from outside the penalty area that found its way into the net, sending the home crowd into raptures and giving Wanderers the crucial advantage they needed.

The victory has significantly boosted morale within the Wanderers camp ahead of the return fixture. In his post-match comments, coach Bob Mpinganjira expressed his satisfaction with the result while remaining focused on the task ahead.

“We’re excited about this win, but we know the job isn’t finished yet,” Mpinganjira said. “We need to be more clinical with our chances in the second leg and make sure we see this through.”

The Nomads now know that either a victory or a draw in next week’s second leg will be enough to secure their progression to the next round of the continental competition, putting them just 90 minutes away from advancing further in the CAF Confederation Cup.