By SANDRA MWILA At Nkoloma Stadium –
Napsa 3 Nakonde 0
NAPSA Stars coach Tenant Chilumba was left unimpressed despite watching his side thrash struggling Real Nakonde to open a two-point lead over Lusaka Dynamos at the summit of the MTN-FAZ Super League table.
Chilumba said after yesterday’s Week 15 game that his players did not play well in both halves despite picking up the three points.
“We didn’t play very well today but it is good we got the three points. We have a young team and we just have to continue working hard to finish in top four and winning it will be a bonus,” Chilumba said.
The win moved Napsa to 28 points ahead of Dynamos, who might face champions Zanaco tomorrow, while Real Nakonde remain stuck at the basement with eight points.
The match saw Youremember Banda shot over the goal in the 22nd minute from a Austin Banda corner before he hit the bar with a header at the stroke of half time from another corner taken by Austin.
He was finally rewarded in the 49th minute when he opened the scores with a shot from a close range and completed his brace in the 67th minute with a shot from the edge of the box.
Debutant Mangani Phiri put icing on the cake scoring a diving header from inside the box to ensure Napsa remain on course to win the league title.
The result was too much for Nakonde coach Matthews Ndhlovu who said his side needs a complete overhaul if they are to survive relegation.
“The transfer window is open, we need a complete overhaul in all departments or we are going down to division one,” he said.
Arrows 1 Rangers 1
In the second match played at the same venue, Nchanga Rangers coach Evans Sakala fumed as he accused referee Jani Sikazwe of biased officiating in a tie that saw the Chingola side fail to hold on to a lead to share spoils with their hosts Red Arrows.
Rangers took the lead in the 17th minute through Adams Zukira who tapped in a Shadreck Chimanya’s pass to beat Arrows keeper Danny Munyao.
The second half saw Arrows pile pressure on their visitors and got rewarded when they were awarded a penalty after Jimmy Chisenga was fouled by Gift Phiri and Francis Kombe converted the kick in the 72nd minute.
“The game was badly handled by the referee who denied us a penalty but gave Arrows a penalty when it was not,” Sakala said.
Arrows coach Honour Janza described the match as tough and bemoaned the injury to Benedict Chapeshi, who limped off with an injury.
“I never expected to come out from this game with a point because we lost two players in the early minutes due to injuries and we made unplanned substitutes,” Janza said.
Arrows moved to 21 points and eighth on the log while Rangers are 15th with 14 points.