Silver Strikers were crowned champions of the 2025 FDH Bank Cup after edging Mighty Wanderers in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Bingu National Stadium on Sunday. The pulsating final ended 1-1 after regulation time, before the Central Bankers held their nerve to lift the trophy for the second time in the competition’s history.
The Nomads struck first in the 24th minute when Blessings Singini rose highest to head home Isaac Kaliati’s corner, sending the Wanderers’ fans into raptures. The goal came against the run of play, as nomads had looked the brighter side early on, with Adam Wallace and Promise Kamwendo both coming close.
Silver pressed hard for an equalizer before the break. Uchizi Vunga went close with a fierce effort that whistled just wide, while Andrew Joseph’s header struck the post moments later. The tension on the pitch was evident, with McDonald Lameck receiving a yellow card following an exchange with the assistant referee.
Both teams made changes at halftime. Peter Mgangira introduced Charles Chipala and Chinsisi Maonga to add attacking depth, while Bob Mpinganjira brought on Sam Tanjong for Blessings Mwalirino.
Silver continued to pile on pressure in the second half, with Nixon Mwase, Joseph, and Vunga all going close. Wanderers suffered a setback when Kamwendo went off injured, replaced by Clement Nyondo, while Emmanuel Nyirenda was cautioned for delaying the restart of play.
The turning point came in the 76th minute when referee Easter Zimba awarded Silver a penalty after Felix Zulu was judged to have handled the ball inside the box. The decision sparked protests from Wanderers, but Silver made no mistake from the spot to level the scores.
Wanderers responded with more substitutions, introducing Masiya Manda and Peter Cholopi, but neither side could find a winner before full-time.
The penalty shootout provided a fitting climax to a tense final. Both teams traded misses and saves in a nerve-shredding sequence that kept fans on edge.
Silver’s Emmanuel Allan missed the opening kick after Kaliati had put Wanderers ahead. As the shootout progressed, Singini, Nyondo, Paipi, and Shema all converted to make it 3-3.
The momentum swung when Stanley Sanudi missed his attempt and Binwell Katinji equalized for Silver. Nyirenda restored Wanderers’ lead, but Maonga leveled again. Then came a chaotic finish — Dalitso Khungwa missed, Chikooka saved Masiya Manda’s effort, and though Khungwa later saved Chipala’s penalty, he missed his own.
When Silwimba failed to convert for Wanderers, Nixon Mwase stepped up and calmly slotted home the decisive kick to seal a 5-4 shootout win and spark jubilant celebrations among the Bankers’ faithful.
A delighted Silver Strikers Head Coach Peter Mgangira hailed his team’s resilience and unity.
“I’m very happy — many doubted us, but we have to thank God for this victory. We created a lot of chances and showed great fighting spirit to come back after going down. When we speak the same language, it’s easy to win things. That’s the meaning of teamwork,” said Mgangira.
A dejected Wanderers Coach Bob Mpinganjira admitted the loss was painful but urged his team to stay positive.
“We have lost, and it hurts, but penalties can go either way. We didn’t play our usual game, but I’m proud of the players. We tried to win, it just didn’t go our way,” he said.
Silver Strikers reached the final after defeating Mighty Tigers (1-0), Shire FC (4-1), Blue Eagles (3-0), and Civil Service United (1-0) in the semifinals.
Mighty Wanderers, appearing in their first FDH Bank Cup final, had beaten Mafco FC, Mzuzu Hammers, Creck Sporting (on penalties), and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets (1-0) in the semifinals.
Silver’s triumph marks their second FDH Bank Cup title, having also won the inaugural edition in 2021. For Wanderers, the wait for their first title in the competition continues.
