By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA at Sunset Stadium –
Zanaco 1 Nkana 2
NKANA yesterday produced champions’ stuff as they scored two late goals in a space of three minutes to overhaul Zanaco first-half slim lead and take an important away win that brings them right back into the 2014 MTN Premier Division League title contention.
While the players were showing character on the pitch, the fans in the stands showed one ugly face as they threw missiles on the pitch when defeat looked eminent 10 minutes to go.
But when Nkana levelled, they were the best fans in the country as they cheered their team on and then even better when Ugandan Tonny Odor added a second to hand them the win.
Zanaco’s Moses Phiri put the league leaders ahead in the 32nd minute from inside the box and Nkana’s best reply was through Simon Bwalya who hit the post on 40 minutes.
After some late crowd trouble, second half substitute Shaderick Musonda levelled in the 82nd minute before he provided the assist to Odor for the winner, giving coach Beston Chambeshi his first victory in the league.
This Week 20 wins means Zanaco’s four point lead was cut to just one by Zesco United while Nkana, who were 12 points off going into this game are now nine points off Zanaco with two games in hand.
Zesco 2 Roan 0
Zesco United moved within a point of leaders Zanaco, thanks to a comfortable win over relegation-threatened Roan United in an exciting Week 20 fixture that was also beamed live on pay-television channel Supersport, reports MOSES CHIMFWEMBE from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Striker Winston Kalengo gave Zesco an early lead after heading in from close range on 10 minutes as the home side dominated play in the first half.
Having sensed danger, Roan stepped up their game in the second half and could have restored parity through striker Lyson Sikaonga, who headed wide a Arthur Kaseloki delivery with only goalkeeper Lameck Nyangu to beat.
Sikaonga was again on target in the 88th minute but his powerful header hit the cross bar before Justine Zulu sealed victory with an easy tap in from Jackson Mwanza’s pass seconds later.
A win moved Zesco to 42 points, one behind Zanaco while the Luanshya outfit remained in relegation on 14 points.
Indeni 0 Eagles 1
In a lunch time kickoff at the same venue, Green Eagles continued their assault on Copperbelt teams when they handed Indeni a second successive defeat, writes FRANCINA CHOMBA.
Paul Malama scored an all important goal in the 9th minutes to inspire his side into eighth place on the log with 24 points.
Indeni’s battle to survive relegation continued as they remained third from the bottom on 19 points.
Warriors 2 Blades 0
Abuild Sakala dislocated his shoulder as Kabwe Warriors beat Konkola Blades at Godfrey ‘Ucar’ Chitalu Stadium to move into the top eight on the MTN Premier Division League table, SYLVIA MWEETWA reports from Kabwe.
Goals from Jacob Phiri and Josephat Kasusu gave Warriors coach Mohammed Fathy a fourth straight win and condemned Blades to a fifth successive loss.
Phiri put Warriors in the fifth minute before Kasusu completed the day’s work with a 77th minute strike.
However, Warriors suffered a setback on 19 minutes when Sakala dislocated his right shoulder after a bad fall and was replaced by Peter Zulu. Warriors moved to 25 points, two clear of Blades.
Buffaloes 1 Power 1
Power Dynamos came from a goal down to draw with this Zambia Army side in an exciting game at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka, a result that kept both sides in third and 12th places respectively.
Sebastian Mwansa gave this Bilton Musonda side an early lead but Richard Kasonde headed Power back into the game before half time.
The result left the Power fans bitter as they now have 10 draws, the most this year and their fourth in six games while this was Buffaloes fourth draw in five games.
Nakambala 0 Napsa 0
Napsa Stars picked up their third draw in four matches as a determined Nakambala Leopards held them to a goalless draw in Mazabuka but still held their fourth position.
Both sides traded gilt-edge chances with Shaderick Mayembe first to miss from Napsa from inside the box before on 14 minutes before Bernard Semakwese repeated that from inside the box 10 minutes to Nakambala go down to ninth with 24 points.
Meanwhile, Nchanga Rangers and Red Arrows meet at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe in a battle to turn round their fortunes in the second half of the 2014 MTN/FAZ Premier Division League season, reports KALUMIANA KALUMIANA.
Both sides lie outside the top eight heading into today’s Week 20 fixture and facing the strong prospect of being drawn in a relegation battle with ten games left to play.
Rangers are ninth on with 22 points from 19 games played and are without a win since beating Roan United 2-0 in Chingola on July 19.
Since then, Rangers who finished third in the 2013 season have picked up two points from their subsequent three games.
Arrows too are also in very unfamiliar territory inside the relegation zone in 14th place with 18 points from 19 matches played.
The match will mark new Arrows coach Mathews Phiri second game in charge that began on a promising note with a scoreless home draw with bottom placed Konkola Mine Police to end an eight-match losing streak.
In the second kickoff at the same venue, Mine Police three match unbeaten run will be put to the test by sixth positioned National Assembly.