By: Kassim Kajosolo
Mighty Wanderers head coach Bob Mpinganjira has praised his charges for their hard-fought 1-0 win over Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy FC in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round, played on Saturday September 21, 2025 in the capital, Lilongwe.
The Nomads secured victory through captain Felix Zulu’s 80th-minute strike, sending home fans into jubilation and giving the home team a crucial advantage ahead of the return leg in Francistown on September 27.
Speaking after the match, Mpinganjira commended his players’ discipline and work ethic despite squandering several chances.
“I must commend my boys for working very hard. Yes, we missed opportunities but the performance was great considering the fact that our opponents are a good side with recent experience on the continental stage,” he said.
Asked whether he felt disappointed with a single-goal margin, which might be risky in the away fixture, the veteran coach was firm.
“There are no regrets. It’s football, such things happen. What matters is that we got the result. We just need a good game plan in Botswana, perhaps to get another goal. For now, let’s commend the boys for the gallant fight,” he added.
The victory marked an important step for Wanderers, who have a long yet challenging history in CAF competitions. The Blantyre giants first appeared in continental football in the late 1970s but have often struggled to progress beyond preliminary rounds.
Their most notable run came in 1987 when they reached the second round of the African Cup Winners’ Cup. Since then, the Nomads, fondly known as The LalinLubani Boys, have had several returns to continental football but without much success, often falling to seasoned sides from Southern Africa.
This year, the team, back in CAF competition after eight years, hopes to break that cycle and make a statement in the Confederation Cup.
The Nomads depart for Francistown this week with the task of protecting their slim advantage against a Galaxy side that will be banking on home support to overturn the result.