Zanaco vs Napsa Stars headlines Zambia Super League week nine fixtures

The spot plot of football is centered around teams with top quality but not good enough to live by the name called consistency. The MTN/FAZ Super League brings eight fixtures to scrutiny as week nine set to be played in midweek with eyes and fingers crossed.

Sensational Zanaco who are inconsistent, Lusaka Dynamos dubbed drawing specialist and robin hood of sorts, Red arrows will all be in action facing a reality check for letting go of top players like Bruce Musakanya, Green Buffaloes whose grass doesn’t appear so green following a shock defeat to newcomers Young Green Eagles barely two after they humiliated Nkana 5-0.

It also brings back the ever promising but not so powerful Power Dynamos following a short yet well-cherished break. Early relegation contenders Kitwe United and Young Green Eagles have been allowed to redeem themselves while Zesco United hopes to continue occupying the top spot by grinding out another win.

Underrated Stephen Mutama has bailed out Nkwazi from a lot of troubles this season and hopes to make make it two goals in two games when highly Flying Nkwazi faces off with Green Eagles who are fresh from a good continental football outing in Choma.

Defending Champions Nkana will hope the sending away of their coach Manfred Chabinga on indefinite leave will bring to an end their misfortunes which have seen them endure a lukewarm start to the season.

The first game of the doubleheader at Nkoloma stadium will see Zanaco taking high on confidence, Napsa stars who are fresh from seeing off Ngazi sport of Comoros 9-2 on aggregate in CAF confederation cup.

They are coming into this fixture with a record of not having won any match in the super league from four games they have played a thing which will give Zanaco hope. It seems like Napsa Stars will bank with Zanaco to pay its people pensions with Chris Kaunda’s position being called into question because of the inconsistency hence he will hope to answer such calls with a win.

However, Zanaco last beat the Pensioners in November 2016 with goals from Kwame Attram and an own goal from Alex Mwamba with Enock Mwepu scoring the goal for the Pensioners.

The second game at Nkoloma will see an emotional return of once Red Arrows players in the name of Ian Otieno and Bruce Musakanya ( Musakanya may not play depending on the loan deal agreement) who will make their debut appearance at the stadium in opposite colors after ditching Red Arrows for Zesco united.

It is a game where both sides stand a chance of winning. They have both been unimpressive with Zesco United having to rely on experience to pick up positive results.

The last five meetings between these two sides have seen Zesco United pick up two wins while Red Arrows have had one win with two ending in draws with the latest being in the second round of last season. 14 goals have been scored between them in these last five fixtures with 8 going to zesco and allowing 6 from Red Arrows.

At Woodlands Stadium, Green Buffaloes look to brush off their embarrassing loss to Young Green Eagles when they host Buildcon who have lost only once this season.

Bilton Musonda will hope to mastermind a winning formula against Buildcon who have proved strong this season as they lie in the second position on the log.

Green Buffaloes have scored 7 goals this season while Buildcon has scored 9 totaling 16 goals from 15 games played between them. It is a match that promises to produce not more than 2 goals as they both have an average of 1.1 goal aspect ratio per game coupled with their defensive approach to games.

Independence Stadium which has become a fortress for visiting teams will see Green Eagles welcoming Nkwazi who have proved poor in front of goal this season amassing 6 goals from 8 games after letting go off of their prolific striker Emmanuel Chabula.

Buzzing in high spirit following qualification to the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, Green Eagles will hope to continue from where they left off.

However, they face a side they have not beaten home or away in the last six years only managing seven draws and losing four games.

Eagles stand in a better position to overthrow Zesco United from the summit when they win their three games in hand and they know it should start with Nkwazi. They lie 6th with 10 points 4 adrift of Zesco United at the summit with 3 games in hand.

Having missed on super league trophy during the 2019 transitional league in which they lost to Zesco United in the final, Green Eagles see this season as theirs as most top teams in the league are struggling with consistency.

In Ndola at Indeni sports complex, newly promoted Indeni will welcome struggling Nkana who lost many players before the start of the season, and with the sacking of their head coach Manfred Chabinga Indeni may just fancy their chances. of getting a win over the defending Champions.

Despite having a prolific and proven goal scorer Idris Mbombo in their team, Nkana has only scored 2 goals from 5 matches at the same time allowing 8. It is a game that promises lots of goals looking at the defense of Nkana and how they may be rejuvenated following the letting go of Manfred Chabinga.

The last meeting between these two sides was in the Charity Shield with Nkana posting a 2-0 win. This game promises lots of goals looking at the defenses for both teams which are very porous. Nkana looks to be in a better position to snatch a win.

Former Zesco United and Mufulira wanderers coach Tenant Chembo has been handed a tough first test as his side Lumwana Radiants travel to Arthur Davies stadium.

Rejuvenated Lumwana Radiants who picked up their first win of the season after a classy brace from Felix Nyaende handed them a 2-1 win over Buildcon at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on 29th November in a match in which their captain Christopher Munthali acted as a coach-player following the sacking of Patrick Phiri.

Lumwana Radiants reliance on Felix Nyaende looks set to continue when they take on Power dynamos who have been sloppy this season after so much promise before the start of the league and are without head coach Perry Mutapa who is away on National duty with the Zambia U-20 at COSAFA. A fair contest with a minimal margin win is what is expected from this encounter.

In Kabwe at president stadium, Prison Leopards hopes of having worked on their blunt striking force come to the test as they host not so Elite Lusaka Dynamos.

Mwenya Chipepo’s side who have shown glimpses of a good side with their striking force being the only let down will be confident of a point against Lusaka Dynamos who have recorded 7 draws.

A second win for the season looks likely for Lusaka Dynamos only if their lethal striking force comes to the party with Collins Sikombe proving to be a master class in midfield.