Mighty Wanderers coach Bob Mpinganjira has played down his team’s 1-0 defeat to Civil Service United in a friendly match at Champions Stadium on Sunday, saying the encounter was primarily aimed at testing the fitness levels of his players.
Speaking after the game, Mpinganjira said the result should not discourage Wanderers’ supporters as the technical panel used the match to identify and work on the team’s weaknesses ahead of upcoming fixtures.
“These matches are meant to check how players are progressing in terms of fitness and coordination. We also gave a chance to other players to see how well they can link up with their teammates,” said Mpinganjira.
“Even though it was just friendly, it clearly showed that there is a lot of work to be done. The team must toughen up as they prepare for the CAF games, because if these problems are not solved, they will struggle on the continental stage,” Banda observed.
He further pointed out that the absence of key players such as Wisdom Mpinganjira, Blessings Singini, and Emmanuel Nyirenda who are currently with the Malawi national team, has left noticeable gaps in the Wanderers squad.
The only goal of the match was scored by Chikaiko Batison for Civil after Wanderers goalkeeper Dalitso Khungwa failed to deal with a cross.
Despite the narrow loss, Mpinganjira expressed confidence that his squad will be ready both for the resumption of the TNM Super League and the crucial CAF assignment.
