November 22, 2009
Zanaco's game against City Of Lusaka moved to Wednesday owing to the bankers' having 4 players with the Chipolopolo that defeated North Korea 4-1 yesterday.
Zanaco Coach Wedson Nyirenda has confirmed in a telephone interview with Zambianfootball. net this afternoon that his side’s game that should have decided the title for the bankers had they won against City Of Lusaka at Sunset Stadium today has been put forward to Wednesday.
The log leaders had players with the national team that was in action in an international friendly yesterday.
Zanaco had goalkeeper Joshua Titima, wingers Henry Banda and Allan Mukuka and central defensive stalwart Charles Siyingwa who made his debut with the Chipolopolo squad that defeated World Cup qualifiers North Korea 4-1 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka yesterday.
”Yes, I can confirm our match against City of Lusaka has been put forward to Wednesday because we had players with the Zambia national soccer team,” the soft spoken award winning coach said.
Nyirenda who guided Zesco to back to back titles before switching to Sunset at the beginning of the season is upbeat about Zanaco’s chnces of wrapping up the title on Wednesday:
”We are ready to be crowned champions, we are preparing to beat City of Lusaka,”
His side with three games to play hold the advantage over champions Zesco United going into the penultimate week of league football with 60 points and have a healthy looking goal difference.
A win on Wednesday will take the bankers to 63 points, the maximum number of points Zesco on 57 points can attain should the Ndola outifit win their remaining two matches starting with Nakambala in Mazabuka today. But with a superior goal difference Zanaco will all but be champions with victory in midweek..
Zanaco still without injured leading scorer Patrick Kabamba have rediscovered their winning formula which looked to have deserted them at a crucial time with Makundika Sakala stepping to the plate with 3 goals in 3 games. The lanky mid season break purchase from Lusaka Dynamos looks set to lead the line supported by the speedy Winstone Kalengo and tricky Ignitius Lwipa.
Jack Chileshe will look to shake off a nagging injury to pull strings in the midfield with Sydney Kaluwe sitting just in front of the back four led by newly capped Zambia central defender Charles Siyingwa.
Enterprising Henry Banda and nimble footed Allan Mukuka are set to patronise the wings.
However, this game will be no walk in the park for the Sunset side as City of Lusaka under Hector Chilombo and Happy Sichikolo have proved a handful on the road reaping points that have seen them perched a respectable fifth on the log.
Zanaco will need to be wary of new Zambia international Kennedy Chola who is a dead ball specialist with a sweet left foot. Morgan Kaoma, Derrick Mulenga and Nasha Kaaya are the other players the Ackson Phiri captained ‘Yamoto’ can relay on to delay the crowning of Zanaco.
Zesco United with back to back losses to Choma Eagles and Zanaco have seen the title slip away before their very own eyes will have to avoid any slip up at Nakambala if they were to maintain a diminishing defence of their title.
The ‘Team Ya Ziko’ perhaps feeling the toil of a long season will need to energise the likes of impressive Lottie Phiri, leading diminutive scorer Clifford Chipalo, Enock Sakala, Maybin Mwaba and Nicholas Zulu to win or face the reality of playing in the less lucrative Africa Club Confederations Cup next season.
Nakambala already confirmed as a division one team next season will play spoilers for the pride of the sweet town of Mazabuka.
The relegation dog fight is on at the unbusiness end of the table with teams avoiding to join Nakambala and Young Arrows in the lower ranks.
Lusaka Dynamos, Roan Utd, Konkola Blades, Kabwe Warriors, Chambishi and Zamtel are all in it.
Zamtel and Chambishi face off in Ndola in a game a win for either side will be dear as life for stay in the top flight.
Lusaka Dynamos perennial survivors of the chop host Green Buffaloes looking to perform their survival miracle for the umpteenth time in the Premier League.
Kaiser Kalambo will be sitting uncomfortably on the Konkola Blades bench looking for a win that will confirm their top flight status against an already safe Keagan Mumba’s Choma Eagles.
Kabwe Warriors travel to Lusaka to face a resurgent Red Arrows for whom young striker Jimmy Ndhlovu is beginning to look like the finished article. Warriors could not have faced the airmen at a worse time as they have rebounded and will look to compound the problems of the Railweays Ground outfit.
Third placed Power Dynamos chasing nothing really as they not catch either Zanaco or Zesco for the right to play continental soccer, play Roan United just to put themselves in the right frame of mind for the Barclays Cup final aginst Buffaloes next weekend.
Power boasting of perhaps Zambia’s best goalkeeper after Kennedy Mweene at the moment, Rabson Muchelang’anga have an array of stars capable of dismantling the Cephas Katongo team and cause them a relegation headache.
International Luka Lungu who earned his fourth cap for Zambia against North Korea yesterday will relish to ink his name on the score board as he will mostly likely miss the final as he travels to Kenya with the Chipolopolo Boys for the CECAFA.
Kennedy Mudenda too who played the Korea game as a substitute after a late call up to the squad may look to do farewell particularly that he is suspended for the final.
In form Simon Bwalya will be expected to mesmerise with Laughter Chilembi providing experience at the back to cover Muchelang’anga.
A Roan loss will wreck havoc in their relegation fight so they play to put a dent in Power’s impressive late surge for a big reason: their own safety!
But the big question still remains; can Zanaco wrap up the league title on Wednesday?
17 Comments on "Zanaco’s game moved to Wednesday as Zesco look to narrow the gap"
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Ba zed on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 1:07 PM
The Zanaco has been Moved to wensday..
Whisper on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 1:11 PM
Wedson ‘Wadda Wadda’ Nyirenda is undisputed champion of Zambian coaches. This will be his 5th straight title won’t it?
If we had active U17, U20 and U23 teams I would have loved Wedson to have been heavily involved in these. In my mind he would be the technical advisor to each of these teams and would help each of the coaches develop their teams and personal coaching skills. His title might be something like Developmental Teams Technical Leader. I think that everyone on this blog recognises the fact that we need to develop our local coaches. This is one way we can start to do that.
At the moment we have a chap named Jochem Figge working with FAZ, can someone please tell me what Mr Figge is doing? Just to be clear, I am not saying that he is loafing, I genuinely don’t know what he is doing.
Asilikale on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 1:26 PM
Zambia hate continuitie in the name of promotion,i mean whts wrong in keepng Luandamina at under 20 so tht he kp on buildng future players look at most of COSAFA and CHAN players,they are coming frm Luandamina,talk of Clif mulenga,sunzu,mayuka,nyambe,kola,Seba mwanza and alot mo u cn add,again why do we hate continuit.I suggest we dnt tok about nyirenda n simukonda takng over as under wht n wht as coaches i dnt want them to endup like Lundamina at national team.
Jojo on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 2:08 PM
I have said it before,wedson nyirenda should be appointed national team assistant coach,not only is he a better coach but he would also do a better job than ‘chicken’..
The interesting thing that is happening in zambia at the moment is that the majority of premier league and division 1 teams are being coached by young coaches,these are future national team coaches so we should start exposing them now by allowing them to take over the team for tournaments like cosafa and cecafa,
soccer fan on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:10 PM
wedson has proved to be a good coache, i wud have loved to see him help out as technical adviser to our senior national team. but one thing i have observed with kalu is that its like he has beef with most people involved in the running of soccer in this country and this extends to players as well.
Whisper on Sun, 22nd Nov 2009 3:28 PM
Please read my post again. I haven’t said that Wedson should take over from George. What I said is that he can be the technical advisor to each of those teams, that means working WITH the coaches who are already there and them helping each other to develop. The reason I say that is:
1. He has proven to be the best local coach. He’s beaten George and the rest over the last 5 seasons
2. We need to empower our local coaches and give them the opportunity to progress. Why should we continue to look to foreign coaches and development officers?
3. We need a Zambian football philosophy. What I mean by this is that we need a distinctive way of playing. As I suggested a few weeks ago, one of the reasons we might be struggling to score goals is because HR has been using a 4-3-3. Most of the players don’t really know this system because they have been brought up on 4-4-2 and using the wings. I would see Wedson and the other coaches coming up with a Zambian style and instilling that philosophy from U17 up to Chipolopolo. Ask Alex Ferguson, Wenger, Ancelotti all of them will tell you one of the most important things in developing a team is to develop a team philosophy. Man Utds is to play an expansive quick game, Arsenal’s is to use movement and accurate passes, Chelsea is strength and power and a more direct approach. These philosphies are taught throughout the clubs, from U10 upto first team.
But before all of this we need a plan for each of our teams. A few weeks ago Kalu was talking about grassroots development of the game and saying that they had a plan. Does anyone have any details of what this plan is? Or was it is just more talk?
Seasoned Soccer Fan-USA on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 3:24 AM
Who won between Nakambala and ZESCO? More updates please.
Asilikale on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 11:33 AM
@jojo
am nt against yo good ideas but i dont like this Faz it has a kinda of poison to Zam coaches,they may destroy wadda like they have done to chicken hez now too chicken.
isaac malukutu on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 12:35 PM
Wedson Nyirenda should start with the junior teams like the under20 and if he perform he can then bre elevated to the senior national team.
Amuna Onzuna on Mon, 23rd Nov 2009 12:55 PM
Wedson has been an U-17 Coach before.We can however,try him again as he has gained alot of experience now.