By SANDRA MWILA At Sunset Stadium –
Zanaco v City (Postponed)
CHAMPIONS Zanaco said they were ready to face bottom placed City of Lusaka before yesterday’s MTN-FAZ Super League Week 29 fixture was postponed.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) apparently sent communication on the eve of the match informing both parties that the match had been rescheduled.
However, that did not stop City from pitching up at Sunset Stadium ready to face Zanaco and possibly claim a walkover against the champions despite the FAZ postponing the fixture.
After the early kickoff between Lusaka Dynamos and Nchanga Rangers ended, City players clad in full jersey went onto the pitch and started warming up as the technical staff set up their bench in readiness of the game.
After warming up for 15 minutes and without their opponents nor match officials in sight, City opted to leave the pitch as some officials were heard discussing among themselves that FAZ should award them points.
When asked for a comment, City chairperson Justin Zulu opted to remain mute on whether they had received communication.
Word had gone round that Zanaco had refused to play because they had four players with the Chipolopolo with others teasing that they were scared of losing to City.
But Zanaco chairperson Edward Mutale said in an interview that his team was in camp and ready to play the game before receiving communication from FAZ that the game had been rescheduled.
Mutale said FAZ communicated to both parties around 20:30 hours on Saturday while the team was in camp and wondered why City showed up for the game.
“It’s not like Zanaco didn’t show up for the game no. FAZ in their own wisdom rescheduled the game and communicated to both parties and I am sure there were no referees there (Sunset). Because if they had not communicated referees would have showed up,” Mutale said.
He explained that all players were released from the national team to feature for their league games on Wednesday and received no communication to release the players back to the national team.
“Our players were released like all players on Wednesday; the team entered camp in readiness for the game. We were not communicated to when the players were needed back. We had the likes of Ziyo Tembo in camp even one of the assistant coach at the national team Dabid Chilufya till this morning (yesterday),” Mutale said.
Dynamos 2 Rangers 1
IN the lunchtime kickoff, Lusaka Dynamos moved into fourth place on the MTN-FAZ Super League table after beating struggling Nchanga Rangers at Sunset Stadium
The win lifted Dynamos to 50 points, same as second placed Power Dynamos and Zanaco, but are fourth due to an inferior goal difference and they relegated Nkana, on 49 points, to fifth place while Rangers are fourth from bottom on 26 points.
Dynamos lethal striker Chris Mugalu gave his side the lead in the 36minute when he struck from a close range off a Emmanuel Habasimbi cross.
But Rangers equalised in the 53rd minute through Bwalya Kasonde who headed in a Jimmy Nakena free kick.
However Aubrey Funga ensured Dynamos collected maximum points with a wonderful shot inside the box in 68th minute after he was set up by Mugalu.