Mpinganjira Derby: Father, son ready for Zamadolo fireworks

The Mpinganjira family is heading for a football showdown with a twist as Mighty Wanderers face Ekhaya FC in the Airtel Top 8 final at Bingu Stadium in Lilongwe this Sunday.

For the first time in Malawi football, business mogul Thom Mpinganjira will see his Wanderers side battle a team sponsored by his son, William Mpinganjira, setting the stage for what fans are already calling the ‘Mpinganjira Derby’.

But while the family connection adds spice to the final, both Mpinganjiras insist the real winner must be football.

William is, however, already showing little respect for his father when it comes to the result.

William: Ekhaya will carry the day

“On the day, both teams will compete to win, and we expect a strong and entertaining final. I believe Ekhaya will win the game. The pressure is on Mighty Wanderers, not Ekhaya FC,” declared William.

The young Mpinganjira said the father-and-son angle is only part of a bigger story about investment and passion for Malawian football.

“Beyond the father-and-son angle, I think the bigger story is the shared passion for football and the investment being made into the game,” he said.

Senior Mpinganjira, meanwhile, has opted for a calmer approach, praising his son for taking Ekhaya into the Super League and guiding the club to the Airtel Top 8 final.

“It is unique and unprecedented in the history of Malawi football, and I understand why people are calling it the ‘Mpinganjira Derby’,” he said.

He admitted he was surprised when William decided to take Ekhaya into the Super League, and even more surprised by the club’s rapid rise to the Airtel Top 8 final.

“I am very proud of him and his achievements thus far and the role my son is playing in supporting football development through Ekhaya FC and the growth of the game in Malawi,” said Mpinganjira.

Despite sponsoring the opposing sides, the businessman expects a bruising contest.

“It will be a tough game, perhaps the toughest game this season for Wanderers because Ekhaya is a team of young boys full of energy. They never tire easily,” he said.

And senior Mpinganjira believes Ekhaya have everything to gain.

Thom praises son William

“A win against Wanderers will be Ekhaya’s biggest pay day, so I do not see them missing the opportunity to stage the biggest upset,” he said.

For William, reaching the final is already another milestone in Ekhaya’s ambitious journey.

“Whatever happens, I believe Malawi football is the real winner because this kind of commitment creates opportunities for players, strengthens the local game and helps expose more talent,” he said.

He added that Ekhaya respects established giants such as Wanderers, Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers, but the club is determined to make its own mark.

“We are still building, but we are building with ambition,” said William.

Come Sunday, however, family ties will be put aside for 90 minutes.

One Mpinganjira will celebrate. The other will have to swallow the pain.