Zambian title race hots up

23 July 2011

The Zambian MTN/FAZ Super Division will reach the half-way point this weekend with three teams jostling for the top spot.

Leaders Red Arrows enjoy a slender one point lead on 29 points after 14 games with Power Dynamos in second spot on 28 points, while Konkola Blades are third with 27 points.

Arrows will travel to Southern Zambia to the coal-mining town of Maamba in the Zambezi Valley to face Green Eagles, who are fourth from bottom in 13th place on 14 points.

Eagles will be the second struggling team Arrows will be playing just seven days after being held to a 3-3 home draw by 13th-placed Nkwazi in Lusaka in the middle of the month.

Arrows coach George Lwandamina will surely be looking for a better defensive display from his backline led by White Simwanza.

The spotlight will also fall on Arrows striker Adubelo Phiri.

Phiri is Arrows top scorer on six goals this season and second overall on the charts and he will be under some pressure to justify his recent Zambia recall by Dario Bonetti for an August 10 friendly away to Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, at Nkoloma Stadium, Power visit Nkwazi, who pulled off a great escape act last Sunday at Arrows with a late equaliser to see them share the points with the league leaders.

Nkwazi will continue to be without four senior players who were handed four-match bans by the club’s board for indiscipline a week ago.

The suspended players are striker Keegan Phiri, midfielder Brian Musonda, first choice 40-year-old goalkeeper Sydney Tembo and former Orlando Pirates playmaker Perry Mutapa.

On June 20, the four verbally abused assistant coach Davey Musole on the team bus on their way back to Lusaka after a league game away in Ndola where they lost 1-0 to second from bottom Lime Hotspurs.

Power, who are chasing their dreams of their first league title since 2000, will be hoping to capitalise on the loss of the four key players, but at the same time still haunted by their 1-0 loss at Nkwazi in a Week 14 game.

And at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe, Blades will target a win over visiting Roan United but will also bank on Nkwazi and Eagles to conjure homes wins over Power and Arrows respectively to help their cause.

MTN/FAZ Super Division Week 15 Fixtures
Forest Rangers vs Zesco United
Konkola Blades vs Roan United
Kabwe Warriors vs Nchanga Rangers
Kalewa vs Lime Hotspurs
Zanaco vs Nakambala Leopards
Nkana vs Green Buffaloes
Nkwazi vs Power Dynamos
Green Eagles vs Red Arrows