By SANDRA MWILA –
at Sunset Stadium
Zanaco 2 Arrows 0
SIX-TIME champions Zanaco yesterday opened a seven-point lead at the helm of the MTN-FAZ Premier Division League after beating Red Arrows in a rescheduled Week 10 Lusaka derby.
With defending champions, Zesco United collapsing badly at home where they lost their first game of the season to Nkwazi, Zanaco sit in a comfort zone for now on 27 points.
Moses Phiri put the Bankers ahead on 43 when he tucked in a Fackson Kapumbu throw in before Aubrey Funga put the game beyond doubt in the 54th minute.
Funga finished off a Charles Zulu cross, giving Zanaco some mark of revenge over an Arrows side that denied them the league title on the final day last season.
While Zanaco are seven points from second-placed Zesco while Arrows remain 11th on 11 points.
Zesco 1 Nkwazi 2
Champions Zesco United yesterday recorded their first loss of the season, painfully delivered by Nkwazi, a team they have never beaten since 2010, FELIX MALUNGA reports from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
On their return to MTN-FAZ Premier League action after a three-week hiatus, Zesco succumbed to a third straight home loss to Nkwazi but still remained second on the log with two games in hand.
Nkwazi defender, Gilbert Tembo put the visitors ahead on 14 minutes with a powerful shot inside the box, 11 minutes after Zesco forward, Jonas Sakuwaha had his shot cleared off the line.
Zesco managed to restore parity a minute into first half stoppage time when veteran striker, Winstone Kalengo headed home at the near-post a Sakuwaha cross.
Chipungu Musukuma ensured Elijah Chikwanda’s side returned to Lusaka with maximum points when he beat a Zesco offside trap before easily slotting home past a hapless Jacob Banda on 60 minutes.
Zesco protested the Nkwazi goal claiming it was scored from an offside position, forcing Mufulira referee, Odario Simwiinde to send away earned assistant coach, Tenant Chembo from the touchline.
The title holders, who this weekend visit Power Dynamos, remain on 20 points from nine games while Nkwazi is now breathing heavily on their shoulders in third position on 19 points.
