- Power, Buffaloes tumble in front of Sports PS, capacity crowd
ROBINSON KUNDA
Nkoloma Stadium
Lusaka
“A GOOD result for us, it’s a morale booster as we start the season,” Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe said after beating Power Dynamos to win the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield in front of Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts Permanent Secretary Kangwa Chileshe and a capacity crowd.
Arrows’ dominance over Power continued. Last season, Arrows beat Power 2-1 in a Super League fixture in Kitwe while the return leg ended 0-0.
Arrows went on to beat Power 2-0 in the Absa Cup final on May 10 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
“A good result for us, it’s a morale booster as we start the season. The boys played very well. It was a tight match but we are happy to win this trophy,” Mbewe said in a post-match interview.
Power assistant coach Linos Makwaza said his players put in a good shift despite losing.
“We are the best team in the country. You could see the boys played well and we could have won the game in the first half but we missed a lot of chances,” Makwaza said.
Power midfielder Joshua Mutale found Fredrick Mulambia with a precise pass in the box, but goalkeeper Charles Kalumba came off his line to thwart the danger on 17 minutes.
On the other end, midfielder Munda Phiri blasted skyways from a free kick at the edge of the box in the 37th minute.
In added time of the first half, Mutale saw his shot miss the post by inches.
At the start of the second half, Mbewe rested midfielder Paul Katema for captain Saddam Phiri.
On the hour mark, midfielder Ackim Mumba’s cross found Saddam, who directed his effort above the crossbar.
Mumba, who scored a brace in a 2-0 win over FC Rouge in the Confederation Cup preliminary round return fixture in Port Louis, Mauritius, last Sunday, got the clincher with a brilliantly taken free kick on 79 minutes.
Power’s surest chance to level and take the match to penalties came in added time when Mulambia was fouled and a penalty was awarded.
Striker Ronel Manyanga’s shot was saved by Kalumba.
BUFFALOES 1 ZESCO 2 Coach
Florence Mwila guided Zesco Ndola Girls to their maiden Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield crown after edging Green Buffaloes at Nkoloma Stadium, MULWANDA LUPIYA reports.
“It was a good game, we know that every time it is Zesco versus Buffaloes it is a highly tactical game and of high intensity. We needed to do what we did to carry the day,” Mwila said.
Elizabeth Mupeso put the Women’s Super League champions on a victory trajectory with a tap-in off a Charity Mubanga cross on 13 minutes. Striker Frida Mukoma doubled the lead with a bullet header in the 26th minute.
Mukoma rose the highest to nod in a Mable Bwalya set piece. Ethel Chinyerere netted a consolation for Buffaloes five minutes from time.
“Zesco played well in the first half and utilised their chances but in the second half we came in stronger. We started with a back three which did not help us, but in the second half we reverted to our old system and we improved,” Buffaloes coach Charles Haalubono said. https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
