Silver Strikers Secure CAF Champions League Berth with Goalless Draw against Elgeco Plus
In a tense and hard-fought match at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe, Malawian football powerhouse Silver Strikers qualified for the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League with a goalless draw against Mauritian side Elgeco Plus. The Area 47 side's qualification was due in large part to an away goal scored in Mauritius last week.
The opening ten minutes of the match were a frenzy of activity, with both teams creating chances but failing to find the back of the net. Goalkeeper George Chikooka was forced to make a double save for Silver Strikers, while Chikondi Kamanga came close for the home team with an effort that went over the bar. Uchizi Vunga started a good move for the Central Bankers, opting for Chinsisi Maonga, who passed back to Vunga, whose shot was blocked. Kamanga came in with a rebound but his effort also went over the bar.
Seven minutes before half time, Silver Strikers staged an attack from the back to the midfield, with Kamanga making a fantastic turn and spotting Stanie Davie, who beat the guests’ defense and took a shot, but the effort was saved for a corner. Binwell Katinji and Zebron Kalima were introduced as substitutes for Stanie Davie and Chinsisi Maonga in the second half.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Silver Strikers won a freekick after a foul around the centre circle as Chikondi Kamanga was fouled. Maxwell Paipi took the freekick long to Binwell Katinji, who chested the ball down for Andrew Joseph, who scored but the flag was up for offside. At 73 minutes, Silver Strikers won a freekick on the right after Lameck was brought down, with Lameck taking the freekick well and finding Paipi, who took a shot at goal but his effort was blocked.
Ten minutes from time, Elgeco Plus had a chance of their own but missed the target as the ball went over the bar. Three minutes later, Kamanga was substituted for Ernest Petro. In added time, Katinji missed what was to be the last chance of the match as Silver Strikers broke out of the defensive zone and made a counterattack, with Katinji making a run with the ball and taking a shot but his shot lacked quality.
"We have qualified to the second preliminary round and we are very proud of our boys and their performance," said Silver Strikers coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa after the match. "Playing at home and safeguarding our away goal lead is not a joke and we feel we played a good tie against Elgeco Plus FC. Going forward we will assess our performance and look to square around our do's and donts then take them on," he added.
Silver Strikers will next face Yanga FC of Tanzania in the second round preliminary round. The match is expected to be a tough one, with Yanga being a strong contender in the competition. The Central Bankers will need to be at their best to secure a win and advance to the next round.
Despite the challenges, Silver Strikers' determination and resilience paid off, with the team securing a valuable point and qualifying for the next round of the CAF Champions League. Their individual performances, particularly from George Chikooka and Chikondi Kamanga, were instrumental in their success.
As they prepare for their next match against Yanga FC, Silver Strikers will be looking to build on their strong performance against Elgeco Plus and continue their journey in the CAF Champions League.
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Summary: Silver Strikers, a Malawian football team, advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after a goalless draw against Elgeco Plus of Mauritius at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe. Despite a hectic start to the match, neither team was able to find the back of the net, with Silver Strikers relying on an away goal scored in Mauritius last week to secure their spot in the next round. In the second half, Silver Strikers created several chances but were unable to convert them, with the closest effort coming from Andrew Joseph who was offside. Elgeco Plus had a chance of their own but missed the target. After the match, Silver Strikers coach Etson Kadenge Mwafulirwa praised his players for a well-executed game plan and expressed pride in their performance. Silver Strikers will next face Yanga FC of Tanzania in the second round preliminary round.
