By Satish Sekar at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium © Satish Sekar (June 13^th 2021)

Worthy Champions

A 2-0 victory over NAPSA Stars left Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Kampamba Chintu’s team in dire straits as Ndola’s Zesco United confirmed the inevitable. Kenyan striker Jesse Were converted the opportunity provided by Winston Kalengo to open the scoring after 41 minutes with a neat finish. Kelvin Mubanga put the icing on the championship cake after 81 minutes with a fantastic strike from outside the area.

Zega’s coach Mumamba Numba, fired by Sensational Zanaco last year, saw his successor Chris Kaunda sent on administrative leave after a humiliating 4-0 thrashing by Buildcon, often a euphemism for the sack, last month, despite challenging Zesco for the title.

Numba, a former Zanaco and Chipolopolo midfielder and their coach from 2015 until last year, lost his brother Numba Mwila in the Gabon Plane Crash in 1993. If he wanted revenge on his former club, he has it – Zesco are worthy champions once more.

Deserved

The table did not lie. Zesco’s class told. They created the better chances, and their win could have been more emphatic. Were saw a fine strike well saved by Shaban Odhoji early in the second half. Zesco clinched the title with three matches to spare. Zanaco can only reach 62 points, two behind Zesco.

Chintu conceded that Zesco are deserved champions, but despite the defeat clings on to hope that NAPSA Stars can escape the drop. With two matches remaining and a poor run of results only victories will do now.

Nkana’s late defeat yesterday to Young Green Eagles, combined with Lumwana Radiant’s loss to Red Arrows and Indeni being held to a controversial draw against Forest Rangers in the first part of this afternoon’s double header offer hope, but stuck in 16^th place with matches running out, it will be a tall order for NAPSA Stars to avoid the Eden National League next season.

Challenge

With defending champions and record-holders with 13 league titles, Nkana, struggling at the wrong end of the table, Zesco United regained the Zambian Super League title in style this afternoon. Zega claimed their ninth title at the Levy Mwanawasa to equal the most titled club in Zambian football, Mufulira Wanderers haul of league titles.

Mighty (Maite) Mufulira Wanderers are now fighting to return to the top-flight but have an uphill task. Currently in 7^th place in the Eden National League, they are 7 points shy of the play-off places with seven matches to play – City of Lusaka and Nchanga Rangers lie between them, and 4^th placed Chambishi.

Meanwhile, the balance of Copperbelt football – Zambian even – has shifted from Mufulira to Kitwe and now back to Ndola, which currently boasts five teams in Zambia’s Super League.