New Era starts at Wanderers

……Improved performance against Dedza

The hiring of new manager at Mighty Wanderers has started bearing fruits as the team displayed a classic football in a jam-packed Dedza Stadium on Sunday as they booted out Dedza Dynamos Salima Sugar Football Club to reach the quarterfinals of the FDH Bank.

Mighty Wanderers reshuffled their technical panel as Joseph Kamwendo who was the assistant coach was redeployed to the reserve team while Eddington Ng’onamo was reverted to his position, technical director.

The club went to appoint former Chitipa United and Mzuzu Warriors mentor, Alex Ngwira to spearhead the panel as the Head Coach.

The Club’s secretary to the General Secretart to the board, Humphreys Mvula described the development as the one step towards achieving the success of the club as the silverware was last added to their shelf 4 years ago.

“He is a well experienced coach and we have confidence that he would deliver. Our ultimate goal is to strengthen the team on the pitch. We would like to have strong youth development structures for the team’s future.

“We believe this is the way to go if our plans are to materialise. This is a move that can help us to stop buying players from other teams. We should believe in promoting players from our own youth teams,” Mvula said.

Receiving the opportunity with both hands, Alex Ngwira thanked Mighty Wanderers’ decision of laying their trust in him by getting the best of some of the players in the squad that seemed to have their performance dropped down.

Before the game, the new boss predicted that his team will Hammer Dedza and qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament.

“We are taking on a team that is doing well but we are not pressing the panic button because we have some of the best players in the country.

“We are well prepared for this match because we want the cup more. It will be an interesting game though as Dedza are playing good football,” he said.

Knowing that Dedza have been an inform team, Ngwira featured a team with experience and for sure his decision paid as they tormented the hosts in every aspects of the game.

Unlike the past panel who were deploying the offensive player, Stanley Sanudi as a Centre back in a back three, Ngwira released him to play his usual football as the full back.

Ngwira maintaned the defensive pair of Adeleke Kolawole and Miracle Gabeya who were very solid at the back, keeping Dynamos’ strikers in the bag.

Alfred Manyozo Jr who had spent almost the first round of Super League on the bench, Yamikani Chester whose performance dropped in their recent matches were all named in a starting Xi.

All the players responded well to the new tactics.

The wait for the goal didn’t last longer as in the 35th minute when Wanderers drew first blood through Yamikani Chester who was also voted Man of the Match. It was a great effort from the striker who has been misfiring under the past technical panel, Vincent Nyangulu who later released the ball to Yamikani Chester to slot it home and record the first goal for Ngwira at the Club.

Adding the excitement of thousands of Nomads fans who had traveled from different corners of the country to cheer their team, Vincent Nyangulu hit the nail on the head as he headed home an assist from pacy full-back, Stanley Sanudi to put Dedza players, Fans at bay.

Knowing that the game was almost over, In the second half, Nomads new Coach Alex Ngwira brought in Chiukepo Msowoya, Peter Cholopi, Francis Nkonda and Misheck Botoman for Vincent Nyangulu, Muhammad Sulumba, Yamikani Chester and Felix Zulu.

In the 75th minute, a well-taken free was miscalculated for an offside by Dedza Dynamos players leaving Alfred Manyozo Jnr to freely score the third goal for Wanderers shuttering Dedza Dynamos dreams of overturning the game marking the good start of new era.

Mighty Wanderers against all odds progressed to the quarterfinals of the prestigious Cup joining the likes of Extreme FC, Chitipa FC, Nyasa Big Bullets Reserve, Changalume Barracks, Blue Eagles, Kamuzu Barracks, and Nyasa Big Bullets.

In the post match interview, Coach Alex Ngwira was optimistic that his charges were on the right path to bring the prestigious FDH Bank Cup to Lali Lubani road.

“Alot was said about this game but I advised my troops to be focused and believe in themselves to deliver. I am happy with how they have responded”, Ngwira added

Coach for Dedza Dynamos Salima Sugar Football Club Dan Mdzimkambani accepted the defeat.

Alex Ngwira has to prove his success at the club as they are welcoming the ruthless Nyasa Big Bullets at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday in the tnm Super League.

Bullets are coming from a thrilling 4-2 victory on penalties after a 4 apiece draw against Moyale Barracks and progress to the quarterfinals of the FDH Bank Cup.

Mighty Wanderers are on number three with 32 points from 17 games and they trailing behind their fierce rivals, Nyasa Big Bulllets who have played a game more by 16 points and win for the Lali Luban based team could see the gap cut to 13.

Wanderers have been underdogs to Bullets in almost decade having managing only one victory in the league which came last year and the Red army responded with a bang as they hammered their arch rivals by 4 goals to one in the Airtel Top 8 Cup.