A total of 19 goals in Week seven of the FAZ MTN Super League with big games across the country that had to be played and change the way the teams where placed on the table. It was a weekend the defending Champions Zesco United would be visiting Green Eagles but the game of the Week was to be in Lusaka’s Independence Stadium where the very good defensive Nakambala were to me the resilient Lusaka Tigers.

Nkana the early pace setters were to stay home and watch as their fixture was put off due to the CAF engagement of ZANACO but the eight games were to go as planned.

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WINNERS
NAKAMBALA LEOPARDS, NKWAZI, KABWE WARRIORS, POWER DYNAMOS, GREEN BUFFALOES AND ZESCO UNITED

A total of six teams on show picked three points in their encounters in what most people would say expected results but the following is the status of the outcomes.

NAKAMBALA LEOPARDS

There is serious talk of Signs Chabambo in the country and Moses Mapulanga that they would be some of the names called for national duty and again it did show why these names are coming up. Signs scored a brace at Independence Stadium after Nakambala Leopards came from behind. It was never going to be an easy game for Leopards as Tigers had never lost in the games played at Independence Stadium. That win means Nakambala ends the week on second position four behind Nkana and both teams have a game in hand. Nakambala looks a real deal, they have only conceded two goals in six games.

NKWAZI

Nkwazi were one of the top scorers of the weekend as Steward Chikandiwa scored again to catch with Walter Bwalya on five goals as the League’s top scorers and after the game. Good start to a season for Steward who pushed his team third on the log on ten points same with Power Dynamos with identical goal difference but Nkwazi has scored more goals than Power Dynamos.
Their opposition was Red Arrows which they beat 2-0 last season and this win means Nkwazi is slowly getting back to what we saw in the 2015 season. The scorers were Justin Shonga and Edward Mwamba. They did concede one goal in this game.

KABWE WARRIORS

Kabwe Warriors left it late to score a winner against Lumwana Radiants in what most fans of Kabwe Warriors has called the team play boring. It was Langson Mbewe’s lone goal, the 100th goal in the Super League this season that was a difference and enough for Kabwe Warriors to go ninth same points with Green Buffaloes.

But then there is gray area among Kabwe Warriors followers who are not impressed with the technical bench and calling for changes in tactics. According to reliable fans who are registered with Kabwe Warriors they also wondered why Kabwe Warriors trainer Fatty was against fans watching training. They have called for better results. Kabwe Warriors is away to Napsa  in Week 8.

POWER DYNAMOS

There is some sense of relief at Athur Davies Stadium as the fans witnessed for the first time this season their team score three goals without conceding. Thanks to Kelvin Mubanga with a brace and one from Martin Phiri. The joy in the goals scored was the players running to celebrate which Tenant Chilumba publicly came out and said it was the sign that the players were behind the coach.

TC was given two games ultimatum and he has now picked four points. This win against Forest Rangers means Power Dynamos get into fourth for the second time this season. The last time they were in the top four was in Week one. The fans and EXCO will be hoping this is the start of better things to come.

ZESCO UNITED

Zesco United the defending Champions were away in Choma which has been one of the difficult places to go in the past but this team is in the different class. They forgot about the past and collected maximum points. David Owino Odhiambo with the lone goal and that goal is enough to push the Defending Champions to number six on 9 points with four games in hand. A big statement to Nkana the League Leaders who were resting this weekend.

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BEST TEAM OF WEEK SIX

NAKAMBALA LEOPARDS

My pick still remains with NAKAMBALA LEOPARDS. The team is showing no form of complacent it was never going to be easy to beat Lusaka Tigers at Independence Stadium where Nchanga, Lusaka Dynamos and Green Buffaloes have failed. Nakambala looks prepared for this season and all departments of the team look ready. Watch out for the Sweet boys of Mazabuka.

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DRAWS

Two draws recorded at the weekend one pair involving teams that have never won a game the whole season and its fans could now be getting agitated. The second pair was a Copperbelt derby with Mighty and Nchanga Rangers.

Mufulira Blackpool 1-1 NAPSA

I was thinking this was the day that Mufulira Blackpool would get the win for the first time and they were close leading by a lone goal through John Mushid but Donwell Yobe had other ideas with a equalizer.
Both teams have played six games drawn three, won zero and lost three.

Not too good for both teams and cannot get into the most improved teams coming from Week Six.

Nchanga Rangers 1-1 Mufulira Wanderers

Nchanga Rangers drew at home with Mufulira Wanderers 1-1 with Mufulira Wanderers scoring first through Kamocha and Nchanga equalizing through Chongo Chirwa. The game was a bit low in the first half but it was livelier in the second hand. This will feel like a win for Mufulira Wanderers after the activities at Shinde over the past week. Nchanga go fifth while Mufulira end the week on 10th position.
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MOST IMPROVED
My most improved Team therefor for the first time this season won’t come from the drawing teams but among the winners.

NKWAZI is the most improved team for me as we end week seven. Nkwazi was in relegation zone in week one two, and three, went to position nine in Week four , further climbed to fourth in week five. They were fifth in week six and they are third today. No doubt it’s the most improved team.

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LOSSES
FOREST RANGERS, LUSAKA TIGERS, RED ARROWS, LUMWANA RADIANTS, LUSAKA DYNAMOS AND GREEN EAGLES

Six teams will end the week with zero points added to their previous points after they lost in week Seven. Worse off it’s the second week in running for Forest Rangers.

LUSAKA TIGERS
You could feel the way Tigers supporters are feeling with their now famous slogan of TIGER TANAKA (A TIGER DOESN’T GET TIRED) and they succumbed to the Leopards for the first time this season but surely the fighting spirit still showed that they won’t give up that easily. Nakambala is just better prepared than the TIGER and it showed. They will hope for other fortunes. They end the week on number six on the log.

FOREST RANGERS
The last time Forest Rangers won was in Week four away at NAPSA, after that they lost 1-0 to Red Arrows and then this weekend was the worst, 3-0 to Power Dynamos. That is enough for the team to end week seven in relegation zone and the Dola Hill community in Ndola will be sad with the happening at Forest Rangers. But in this game, Power Dynamos was a better side and they will have very little to for where they lost the game as Power was well prepared. Bad Weekend in the office.
RED ARROWS
As much as I didn’t expect a win for Arrows I thought they would pick up appoint but Steaward Chikandiwa for Nkwazi is in another state this season. Even the consolation from George Simbayambaya was not enough to give the Chelstone based side anything to ride home about. It’s a bitter loss as Nkwazi show that they are well prepared this season than Red Arrows. Red Arrows have to improve, this is not what the profile of the team is. To me the most disappointing team of the weekend.

LUMWANA RADIANTS
If there are losses that make you feel not so disappointed are such loses Lumwana Radiants experienced in Kabwe. Yes they are disappointed that they lost the points but they should be proud of themselves for making Kabwe Warriors struggle for those 90 minutes. Lumwana are a serious team and a lot of teams will have to be clinical to punish this team. One serious fan of Lumwana Radiants Kalaluka Kalu is sure that the team won’t be relegated. We should now believe it. Lumwana is here to stay.

LUSAKA DYNAMOS
Lusaka Dynamos due to the better goal difference with other teams is just outside the relegation zone despite the loss. This was the third loss of the season and things already not looking too good for the Elite. They have to improve. Conlyde scored his first goal of the season but finished on the losing side.

GREEN EAGLES
Green Eagles lost at home to the defending Champions ZESCO but they accounted themselves very well. At the end of the day a loss means they are in relegation zone, five points from seven games is not good enough for a team that has been one of the best organized at home.

MOST DISAPOINTING TEAM

RED ARROWS for me are the most disappointing team of the weekend and the inconsistence is not helping the team. Five points from five games is not good enough and supporters of the Chelstone based side will be soon start calling for more improvement.

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MTN FAZ Super League Results for Week SEVEN

Saturday 23rd April, 2016

Power Dynamos 3-0 Forest Rangers
Lusaka Dynamos 1-2 Green Buffaloes
Nkwazi 3-1 Red Arrows
Green Eagles 0-1ZESCO United
Mufulira Blackpool 1-1 NAPSA Stars
Lusaka Tigers 1-2 Nakambala Leopards
Kabwe Warriors 1-0 Lumwana Radiants

Sunday 24th April 2016

Nchanga Rangers 1-1 Mufulira Wanderers

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WEEK EIGHT FIXTURES

Green Buffaloes Vs Power Dynamos
Forest Rangers Vs Nkwazi FC
Nkana Vs Lusaka Dynamos
Red Arrows Vs Green Eagles
Mufulira Wanderers Vs Zanaco
Zesco United Vs Mufulira Blackpool
Nakambala Leopards Vs Nchanga Rangers
NAPSA Stars Vs Kabwe Warriors
Lumwana Radiants Vs Lusaka Tigers

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BOLA IBABA

Bwezani Mbewe

Follower of the Zambian game!!!!!