THE LAST TIME IT POWERED
It was in 2011 and that was the sixth Power Dynamos would be counting. Don’t ask me when the next one will come.
Before that the first was as far back as 1984 and they had to wait for seven years for the second league title, which came in 1991 together with Multi Party Democracy.
This time they wouldn’t wait for long because just after two years they were counting the third title in 1994. The year my mother went to be with the Lord. I remember this very well.
They would then wait for three years to count the fourth in the year 1997
The fifth was counted in 2001 but my concentration will be on the last one, the year of the Lord, 2011. Power Dynamos , under the current Coach Fordson Kabole handed Power Dynamos their sixth league title.
HOW THEY WON IT
The previous year in a disrupted league, Power Dynamos had finished fourth below ZESCO UNITED Nchanga Rangers and Green Buffaloes.
Luka Lungu and Josphate Nkhoma were the first scorers for Power Dynamos on the first game which they beat Green Eagles 2-1. Other scorers of the season included Lottie Phiri, Joseph Sitali, Simon Bwalya now with Nkana.
Others were Patrick Kasunga , Emmanuel Chimpinde, Kennedy Mudenda, Felix Nyaende, Chrispin Mulenga and Alex N’gonga.
The rest of the scorers included Mukuka Mulenga and Govender Simwala .
CRUCIAL GAMES THEY WON THAT SEASON
Power Dynamos won 18 from the 30 games with 5 draws and 7 losses ending up with 59 points.
They scored a total of 49 goals and allowed 18. No team allowed less than 18 that season but Nchanga and Konkola Blades who were in the top four also conceded those number of goals.
Here are some of the key fixtures that landed the league at Arthur Davies Stadium.
Power Dynamos only won five from their opening 10 games and these were encounters involving Green Eagles, Kalewa, Forest Rangers , Nakambala Leopards and the big one against Green Buffaloes which ended 4-1 with Josphat Nkhoma , Simon Bwalya (brace) and Luka Lungu all on the score sheet. Liniker Mwikisa got a consolation for Green Buffaloes in that encounter. It was massive .
Nchanga Rangers wasn’t an easy team that season to play against but that away win of Power Dynamos against Nchanga Rangers was a big one. The game ended 2-0 with Lottie Phiri and Joseph Sitali on the score sheet.
Another away win in Kabwe against Kabwe Warriors left the team celebrating all night long back to Kitwe as they had left immediately after the game was done. The belief of the title was becoming real and belief started getting into this team.
July 16, ZANACO came knocking but they struggled that season and Power Dynamos took advantage with a 3-1 score line . With a Lottie Phiri brace and an own goal from Morgan Hanjolo for ZANACO.
It’s another season that Power Dynamos did a double against Green Eagles beating them 4-1 at Arthur Davies and 3-2 in Choma. It may interest you that Ndashe Mateo scored one of the goals for Green Eagles that weekend. But Lottie Phiri was on fire scoring another brace with one from Kennedy Mudenda .
THE KITWE DERBY
Power Dynamos didn’t win the Kitwe Derby that season as they drew the one hosted by Nkana but they were beaten by Nkana at Arthur Davies courtesy of an Evans Kangwa lone goal just before the close of the first half .
Fears engulfed Arthur Davies thinking the league was again slipping away. This was on the 6th of August 2011.
After that loss Power Dynamos went away to Kalewa who they beat 2-0 in the first leg and lost 1-0 in the second leg. It was the first time Power Dynamos was losing two in a row this season . They needed to find a result to turn things around.
It worked in week 19 against Konkola Blades with Felix Nyaende scoring a brace which was followed by another win away to Roan United . The belief was back and the title was headed to Arthur Davies.
Then came the last 10 games with Power Dynamos winning seven out of the 10 and those were enough for Aba Yellow to grab the title. Some famous wins were the two away wins at ZESCO United and ZANACO though they lost to Nakambala and Green Buffaloes. The dream became a reality.
They won the league with a game to spare in Lusaka against ZANACO . Luka Lungu scored that lone goal and even with a win for Red Arrows who finished second against Nkwazi in week 29, nothing would stop Power Dynamos from celebrating the title on the last day.
LAST DAY
It was a colourful closure of the season at Arthur Davies Stadium both on and off the pitch. Nkwazi was the victim and the game ended 5-0 , What a way to end the season.
It was a Luka Lungu show who scored four goals with Felix Nyaende adding the fourth in the 90th minute.
Kitwe was lit You bumped into all kinds of people who wanted to talk about Power Dynamos that day, The Red side of Kitwe was on mute as Aba Yellow celebrated the success. There was a real sense of pride in the Arthur Davies people.
I don’t know anywhere else where it’s like this. You can go to Lusaka, Ndola or Chililabombwe but the way Kitwe talks about football is awesome.
Am happy I was in the stadium on the last day and enjoyed what I saw…..
Power Dynamos grabbed their sixth and unfortunately they have gone too low. It will be almost a miracle to come back and add a seventh league title.
CHANCES FOR THE 2019-2020 SEASON
The coach who grabbed them the sixth is back and that feeling of the 2011 season could be back. But is he still the same Fordson Kabole as of the 2011 season? Can he spur this team for glory?
Do they have the same calibre of players that got them the sixth title ?
Are the fans seriously backing this team as we witnessed in 2011?
I for one am not convinced that Power Dynamos will be a factor this season. They have not done much to push for that seventh title.
They will have to wait a bit to have those similar celebrations we saw on 12th November 2011.
Who said it’s wrong to Try? Let Power Dynamos try again . Who knows?
I am out….