Head Coach Peter Mgangira has said his side is ready for the showdown on Sunday against Karonga United in the second leg of the 2026 Airtel Top 8 quarterfinals.
Silver Strikers go into the return leg after winning the first match 2-0, with Charles Chipala scoring a first-half brace at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe a fortnight ago.
Mgangira says his side will be in Karonga to seek a win, not to defend the first-leg win.
“We are very prepared for this game. We have been up here for five or six days after the league match against Chitipa United. The boys are in good shape, and they know the importance of winning this game. The response from the boys has been so good; if we go through this phase, we are going into the semifinals. We are going to face Karonga United flat out and grab a win,” said Mgangira.
This is the third meeting between Silver Strikers and Karonga United in the Airtel Top 8, after playing against each other in the competition’s final on June 29, 2019, and on June 14 this year, when the two sides met in the first leg of the quarterfinal at Silver Stadium.
The Mgangira-led side will be without Felix Dumakude but has welcomed Nickson Mwase and Eric Astigah, who are back to full match fitness.
Silver Strikers have won the Airtel Top 8 twice and have never been eliminated in the quarterfinals since the tournament’s inception in 2017.
Last year, the Central Bankers went all the way to the final but lost 1-0 to FCB Nyasa Big Bullets.
