ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
Three more matches to go and the Zambian Super League title will be in yellow ribbons. Power Dynamos 13 agonizing years of watching their rivals pop Champaign bottles are almost over.
Yesterday’s 2-0 victory over their cross-town bitter rivals, Nkana was a major signal that the title will surely be heading kwa Robert provided Dynamos secure a point from the last three games.
Since 2011, the Kitwe based giants have been reduced to mere spectators as ZESCO United took the lead in amassing six league titles, Nkana two, Red Arrows one while Zanaco secured a second.
Mwenya Chipepo is earmarked to pick up from where Beston Chambeshi and Fordson Kabole left off by giving Aba Yellow a seventh title in a season that has failed to live up to the often-expected narrative.
At week 31, Zanaco excruciatingly sit 13 places from the top of the league table while ZESCO United occupy eighth position before they face Chambishi this afternoon. Last year’s league champions, Red Arrows are a shadow of what they were a season ago sitting in seventh position while Dynamos fiercest rivals, Nkana are roaming in tenth place after yesterday’s 2-0 defeat.
These teams, particularly United, Nkana, and Zanaco have for the last two decades enjoyed the pecks that come with playing continental football and winning the country’s coveted domestic title.
This season unfortunately has not been very kind to these giants of the Zambian game.
MUZA FC on the other hand has been the surprise package of this year’s campaign following their fascinating fairly-tale which keeps getting better with every final whistle.
The Mazabuka based outfit currently sit in fifth position with an unfinished game against Red Arrows to be decided by the FAZ disciplinary committee. Their ambitions of finishing in the top four are very much alive.
Matchday 31 presents another tantalizing opportunity for those fighting relegation to punch above their weight while the battle for top four finish will yet again take another twist.
George Lwandamina’s United side has not given up hopes of sneaking into the top four before the season comes to its final resting place.
Last week United failed to hold on to Enock Sakala’s early goal against Green Buffaloes with the latter managing to mount a comeback which subsequently ended in a 2-1 victory for the army sponsored side.
It is a setback which will require an effective response starting with a victory against relegation threatened Chambishi before facing Nchanga Rangers, Nkana and Forest Rangers.
United players are aware of the possibility of clinching a place in the top four provided they swing the best punches in their last four games.
Author: Desmond Katongo
