* Defeat Blue Eagles 5-4 in post-match penalties after playing to a 1-1 draw at Silver Stadium this Sunday afternoon
* While Ekhaya defeated Karonga United in the other semifinal play on Saturday at the same venue
By Duncan Mlanjira
After playing out to a 1-1 draw, Mighty Wanderers triumphed 5-4 over Blue Eagles in post-match penalties at Silver Stadium to qualify for the final of the Airtel Top 8 2026.
Advertisement
They book a date with Ekhaya FC, who defeated Karonga United in the other semifinal play on Saturday at the same venue.
It was a game of penalty goals as two were played in regulation time. The Nomads were first on the scoresheet as early as the 4th from the penalty through Lameck Mithi after a Blue Eagles player handled the ball inside the box.
The cops of Nankhaka levelled the scores 23 minutes later also from the penalty through Christian Maluwa in the 27th.
Ekhaya are in the Airtel Top 8 final in their debut appearance having qualified after finishing 7th in the top flight league.
The Cowboys ousted the tournament’s most successful side with 4 titles to their name, Nyasa Big Bullets, coming from behind to force a 1-1 draw in the first leg before another 1-1 draw in the second and winning 7-6 in post-match penalties.
Mighty Wanderers advanced from the quarterfinals after the first leg 2-0 win against Creck Sporting Club at Mpira Stadium and drawing 1-1 in the second to go through 3-1 on aggregate.
Both Wanderers and Blue Eagles have won the Airtel Top 8 once, with the Eagles in 2018 and the Nomads in 2022 — while Nyasa Nyasa Bullets’ record is from 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions.
Silver Strikers — who were stunned by Karonga United in the quarterfinals when they won 2-0 in home first leg only to lose 0-3 in the second (2-3 on aggregate) — clinched the inaugural championship in 2019.
Meanwhile, fans can watch the two semifinals through link; https://www.dazn.com/en-MW/competition/Competition:h4mwrqwtze55164sy5cqv4ux8.
Advertisement