. Kampamba

By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
NKANA striker Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba and three others are a doubt for this weekend Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield final against Red Arrows set for Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
Kampamba, who scored a brace in the 5-2 win over Mbabane Swallows in the 2014 CAF Champions League match before setting up Simon Bwalya for his hat-trick, picked up a shoulder and knee injury from the weekend match.
Midfielders Donashano Malama and Kelvin Mubanga are nursing ankle injuries while defender Noel Phiri has been sidelined by malaria.
The Zambian league champions recorded a memorable victory over Swallows coming from 2-0 down in the first leg to win 5-2 and 5-4 on aggregate to set up a first round tie against Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) on March 1 with the return fixture set for March 8.
Coach Masauso Mwale said yesterday that the injuries were as a result of the intense physical game against Swallows but was confident of having the players fit against KCCA.
Mwale, who is 2013 coach of the year, boasted that Nkana has enough ammunition to unleash on Arrows and carry the day in a match that would act as a preparatory match ahead of the CAF tie against KCCA.
The Chairty Shield final might see the return of striker Evans Kangwa into the Nkana squad alongside Bruce Musakanya.
Kangwa is not registered for the CAF games while Musakanya had an injury.
He said he was taking the charity shield final seriously and that the game presented an opportunity for players who had not been registered in the CAF champions’ league competition to showcase their skills.
Mwale urged players to fight for places in the starting 11 ahead of the 2014 MTN-FAZ Premier League opening against Green Eagles on March 15.
“We have a lot of good players that we did not register for continental football and they will be able to take up the Arrows challenge, otherwise we are taking the match seriously,” he added.
Mwale said that Nkana would be cautious enough not to lose focus of their continental ambitions when they face Arrows, who are the 2013 Barclays Cup winners.
He, however, said in as much as the charity shield was important, he would not risk Nkana’s dream in continental football.