By SAMUEL LUKHANDA –
ZANACO coach Numba Mumamba will be hoping for a good response from his players after the CAF 2018 Confederation Cup exit as they take on Buildcon in an MTN-FAZ Super League rescheduled Week Five tie.
The bankers would also be out to protect their unbeaten run and pick a win to close up the gap on the leading pack.
Currently in fifth place, Zanaco have played the least number of games in the league owing to their CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup involvement which all ended in elimination.
Zanaco have played four games winning all without conceding a goal while scoring six accumulating 12 points in the process.
Buildcon, on the other hand, picked up their first win in the league 2-1 against New Monze Swallows and the Ndola side would be hoping to continue on that trajectory after losing the first three games that led to the firing of Italian coach Arena Gelglumeimo and drawing the next two.
Coach Tenant Chembo was cautious in the aftermath of the win over Swallows as he said the result was important in building the confidence of the players after some indifferent start to the season.
‘It was an important win. The team needed this injection ahead of another big game against Zanaco. The team has been assembled well all we need is instilling the winning mentality and prepare well,” Chembo said.
The two teams played to a scoreless draw in Lusaka in July last year with Zanaco winning the return leg in Ndola 2-1 in November.
Mumamba would be hoping that his charges put the 5-0 aggregate humiliating defeat suffered against Raja Casablanca behind them as they look to win the league title after assembling arguably the best team of his tenure.
Numba made no secret of his next move after that fateful night in Casablanca where he said Zanaco would need to devote their efforts to winning the Super League title after their poor show on the continent.
“It’s very painful but we just have to accept it and move on as a team. We have learnt a number of lessons but for now, we have to focus on challenging for the title,” he said.
Buildcon would be counting on their Ghanaian import Rahim Osmanu to continue with his goal scoring exploits at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium having netted twice against Swallows.
But Osmanu would come up against the veteran defensive pair of Ziyo Tembo and Edward Chilufya with Toaster Nsabata who is yet to be beaten in the Zanaco goal.
It will be interesting to see who wins the battle in the midfield between the Zimbabwean compatriots in Buildcon Devon Chafa and Tafadzwa Rusike of Zanaco.
Chisamba Lungu, who showed some flashes of his old self, needs to continue against his old club for the Ndola side to stand a chance of picking up points.