Sunday, 23rd July
Nchanga Rangers Vs Konkola Blades
Nchanga Stadium
15:00hrs
These two teams were relegated from the super League in 2015 but Nchanga Rangers were lucky to be reinstated after the league was expanded to 18 teams for the 2016 season. That season Nchanga Rangers beat Konkola Blades 1-0 in Chingola while the game in Chililabombwe ended 0-0.
A season before that Konkola Blades did a double over Nchanga Rangers, beating Nchanga, 1-0 in Chililabombwe and 3-1 in Chingola.
Konkola Blades is better off by one win on head to head in the last 18games played. Nchanga has 6 wins while Blades has 7 wins and the 5 are draws.
Nchanga Rangers needs a win to stay safe of relegation zone in week 18 and Blades looks safe and they won’t get into the relegation zone after this round of games. But still they don’t stand safe.
Nchanga Rangers have drawn the last four games and before that the other two in the last six were losses. Evans Sakala is yet to win a game and still lose a game but then the challenges is playing defensive when he tales a lead in games. This is what is affecting Nchanga Rangers and if this is not corrected, I see Rangers staying were they are.
Blades were on fire against Nakambala Leopards and they will have that confidence in them in this encounter but it’s not easy playing Nchanga at home in which is a near derby.
Zikiru Adams will miss this encounter after the Red Card in Mufulira and he looks like he will be an important player this season. I think Nchanga Rangers has a more complete team than Konkola Blades with Ekechuku and Joshua Chinanza. Chinanza is yet to feature for the Chingola outfit but Ekechuku needs to start converting those chances he has into goals. I think this will be an Nchanga Rangers victory.
Prediction: Nchanga Rangers 2-1 Konkola Blades
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