. Chambeshi

By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA and MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

NKANA coach Beston Chambeshi has described Saturday’s 2-0 home loss at the hands of Napsa Stars as painful.

Ten-man Nkana’s loss was Chambeshi’s first after two matches in charge since his appointment a fortnight ago.

Chambeshi said in a post-match interview at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe on Saturday that the 21st minute red carding of captain Donashano Malama hit Nkana’s confidence coupled with Napsa’s two first half goals.

“It wasn’t an easy game I think we lost the game in the first half when we lost our captain Malama,” Chambeshi said.

“I think our game plan was killed from that moment.

“It is painful when you lose at home and I think we have to pick up from here.”

Chambeshi said Nkana must now recover quickly from the defeat ahead of the Saturdays crucial 2014 CAF confederation cup Group B home game against al Ahly of Egypt.

Napsa coach Hector Chilombo described the result as a significant moment in their push to challenge for the title.

“Few teams can win at Nkana and today (Saturday)we have done it and I am proud of the boys,” Chilombo said.

“We mean business.We said we have to win the league and this is what we are doing and our opponents have to see our results and be aware of us.”

Meanwhile, Zesco United coach George Lwandamina has said he is delighted to have finally picked up a win after returning from the two-week July mid-season recess.

The three-time champions on Saturday beat hosts Nchanga Rangers 2-1 away at Nchanga Stadium to end their recent winless run in which they picked up two draws.

Lwandamina said ninth placed Rangers were not a pushover despite the result as their opponents continue to push to find some consistency this season.

“It was a tough game playing Rangers who haven’t been doing well in the recent past so they also wanted to win as a morale booster,” Lwandamina said.

The result sees second placed Zesco still four points behind Zanaco on 38 and 40 points respectively after eighteen matches played.

And embattled Oswald Mutapa Junior has described his spell at the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) sponsored outfit Red Arrows as worst in his coaching career.

Mutapa, who could not hide his frustrations after seeing his side go down 3-1 to Indeni in Ndola on Saturday, said he was disappointed with a spate of poor results that have Arrows lose eight games in a row.

Arrows dropped into the relegation waters, having picked up only 17 points from 18 games played in the 2014 MTN-FAZ league season.

He said the loss against Indeni was painful because Arrows created numerous scoring chances that they would have converted to claim the maximum points.

“This is bad result for us especially that we got the lead and allowed Indeni to comeback and seal victory. Otherwise we played well despite failing to convert the chances that we created but we had a chance to win this game,” he said.

Mutapa, however refused to dwell on the recent poor results saying Arrows was now targeting a top flight this season.

He was the former league champions had a talented crop of players and urged his charges to remain focused for the remaining games.

“We have to take each game as it comes, these are the same players that finished fourth last season and we just have to believe in themselves and pull up their socks and begin to win games.

The team does not deserve to be where it is on the table and definitely we will move places up but we just have to be focused,” he said.