As the FAZ MTN Super league enters week 12 our writer Bwezani Mbewe takes a close look at how the teams will perform as he gives his prediction.
21st May, 2016, Saturday
ZESCO United Vs ZANACO
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium
13:00 Hours
Live on (SS9)
Zesco welcome Zanaco at Levy Mwanawasa for the second time this season but first in the Super League on Saturday lunchtime. Zega Mambo suffered a surprising defeat at home to Forest Rangers in a Rescheduled game and looked like bouncing back in the mid-week as they beat Nchanga Rangers 2-0 away in Chingola.
Zanaco come into this game having been forced to a draw by Napsa at Sunset Stadium in the mid-week. The Bankers are the only undefeated team in the league with only two draws and six wins. That record faces a serious test this weekend at Zesco and if Zanaco are to challenge for a title these are the fixtures they are supposed to bag.
Zanaco beat Zesco in the pre-season friendly here and beat Zesco in the Super League towards the end of last season 4-0 and that will give them more confidence to face the defending Champions but Zanaco has shown serious weaknesses against some teams for example of Napsa and Power Dynamos and that is where Zesco will take advantage of but Zesco has also showed weakness at home and Zanaco has a team that can win anywhere as the team can have goals from everywhere on the pitch.
As earlier stated Zanaco beat Zesco 4-0 at Levy while Zesco beat 1-0 in Lusaka. In the last 20 games, ZESCO has won 10 games, drawing 4 and losing 6. This looks to be another draw.
Prediction: Zesco 2-2 Zanaco
Forest Rangers Vs Lusaka Tigers
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium
15:00 Hours
Live on (SS9)
Forest Rangers are at home to Lusaka Tigers the team that got a point off ZESCO united in the same stadium in week 10 and they will have some form of confidence facing Forest Rangers. Rangers are from an embarrassment 4-1 defeat at Kabwe Warriors and they will be thinking of an immediate return to winning ways.
Lusaka Tigers have enjoyed a tremendous start to the SuperSport Football League season despite many pundits painting a picture of doom and gloom in Matero. Tiger Tanaka picked up their sixth draw of the season at Levy against Zesco United on the road and sit 11th in the Super League heading into Game week 12.
Forest Rangers have not enjoyed such a positive start but registered their third win against Mufulira Blackpool in week 10. Patrick Phiri faces a big challenge to keep Rangers out of the Relegation Zone because another loss and a win of the teams in relegation zone and Forest Rangers is back in that dreaded zone.
Prediction: Forest Rangers 1-0 Lusaka Tigers
Nakambala Leopards Vs Nkana
Nakambala Stadium
15:00hrs
Nkana are struggling defensively despite having an embarrassment of riches at their disposal in the attacking third of the field. They won 2-1 at home to Mufulira Wanderers in Game week 11 despite scoring in the first minute that was the fastest goal of the season.
Agrey Chiyangi has much to work on defensively before Nakambala Leopards welcome them the biggest ground in the country. Nakambala were off in week 11 due to player involvement with the national Team of Green Buffaloes but drew their last game with Lusaka Dynamos in Lusaka.
The Sugar boys are strong at home and Nkana will have to be very good to pick three points in Mazabuka. I know of eight games in the super league between these sides with Nkana winning two drawing five and losing one. The games for 2015 season all ended in a 0-0 draw in Kitwe and Mazabuka. Nkana know what is at stake in this encounter with ZANACO and ZESCO facing each other in Ndola.
They win this encounter and they don’t have to worry of any result in Ndola. They draw and ZESCO win then they end week 12 on second position. It’s that tight. Nakambala has lost a bit of some defensive mantle and I have a feeling Nkana will grab this one and the last one Nkana beat Nakambala away in Mazabuka was in 2011 on 16th April and it was another 2-1.
Prediction: Nakambala Leopards 1-2 Nkana
Nkwazi Vs Kabwe Warriors
Edwin Imboela
15:00hrs
Nkwazi FC have endured a very uncharacteristic start to the Premier League Season. They have lost four games despite being usually very solid and an away trip no Club relishes. Kabwe Warriors have also endured a torrid start to the Season with Muhamad Fatty coming under pressure to deliver results.
Kabwe Warriors beat Forest Rangers 4-1 in week eleven which may have given Fatty a stay of execution. I expect Nkwazi to get their act together on home soil and pick up their fifth Premier League victory at Edwin Imboela this weekend.
Interesting game of the week and the team which will concentrate will win this encounter. Kabwe Warriors have a very poor record against Nkwazi FC. In the last 10 games, Nkwazi has won four games, five draws and Kabwe Warriors have one win. Kabwe Warriors last beat Nkwazi in 2006 in Kabwe and so far their away form is very bad this season and I don’t see them pick three points in this encounter.
Prediction: Nkwazi 1-0 Kabwe Warriors
NAPSA Stars Vs Lusaka Dynamos
Woodlands Stadium
15:00hrs
Lusaka Derby on Saturday with a mouthwatering Derby at Woodlands Stadium. Napsa have had good results recently to the campaign including draws against Zanaco and Lusaka Tigers. The Pensioners picked up a good win at home to Kabwe Warriors at Woodlands last time around with Mathews Macha on the scoresheet.
Lusaka Dynamos make the short trip to NAPSA hoping to leapfrog their hosts in the Super League table with a win on the road. Dynamos kicked off the Season well but have suffered a dip in form losing five of their 11 games. Conlyde still won’t be in the team but Kennedy Musonda is proving a key player for Dynamos. I think NAPSA will get local bragging rights with a win at Woodlands. The last two games last season ended with home teams losing in these fixtures.
Prediction: NAPSA 2-1 Lusaka Dynamos
Green Eagles Vs Mufulira Blackpool
Independence Stadium
15:00hrs
Mufulira Blackpool have drawn six of their 11 Super league games this term to leave them on the brink of the Relegation Zone. Thy need to find the net with more regularity if they are to turn draws into victories. Green Eagles kicked off their Season with a loss here against Green Buffaloes and they have went to lose a further five games but have shaped a bit better in their recent games and picking two wins and three draws. Chinama will want to get his side back to winning ways when they welcome Mufulira Blackpool who have lost all their away games and then Green Eagles is one team that only scores one goal and that record should also improve and this is a good opportunity to change that statistics because Mufulira Blackpool is very bad away from home.
Prediction: Green Eagles 2-0 Mufulira Blackpool
Sunday 22nd May, 2016
Mufulira Wanderers Vs Power Dynamos
Shinde Stadium
Live on (SS9)
This is an interesting game in many aspects. It could be Tenant Chilumba first game on the touch line for Mufulira Wanderers and against Power Dynamos his former team. Just that is too much to look forward to. Power Dynamos finally won with Anderson Phiri when they welcomed Green Eagles at Arthur Davies Stadium on Wednesday.
Fwayo Tembo grabbing his first goal for Power Dynamos, a good header if you are to ask me. Anderson Phiri’s side sit 5 points adrift of the league leaders and won’t want to slip up against struggling Mufulira Wanderers with only one win in 11 games.
Mufulira Wanderers will look at this fixture as the redemption of their season with Tenant Chilumba while am not sure what will happen to the Egyptian trainer. The objective of Mufulira Wanderers will be winning this game so that they move out of the relegation zone but that will also depend with Forest rangers, Napsa and Lusaka Dynamos games. It’s a big game for Mufulira wanderers. There is more motivation for Power Dynamos, they win this encounter and Zanaco lose to Zesco they may go third of the table with Green Buffaloes not playing.
Mufulira Wanderers beat Power Dynamos 1-0 in Luanshya last season and drew in Kitwe 1-1 in the 2015 season. Am not convinced with Power Dynamos yet neither do I think Mufulira Wanderers are ready to face up with Power Dynamos. I will go for a draw.
Prediction: Mufulira Wanderers 1-1 Power Dynamos
POSTPONED GAMES
Red Arrows Vs Nchanga Rangers
Lumwana Radiants Vs Green Buffaloes
Bwezani got four results correct and one perfect scoreline in the mid week matches.
