Nkana vs Red Arrows
Nkana Stadium
15:00hrs
Without a doubt , this is a game of the week for me and two teams that have enjoyed a good relationship on the field and off the field. This is one game that is always played on a friendly atmosphere and rarely will it have bad incidences.
It’s also a difficult game for Nkana because they struggle getting full points in this fixture. The example of the last 16 shows Red Arrows winning half of those games, with Nkana only winning three and five being draws.
The last game at Nkana ended in a draw with Walter Bwalya scoring the opener and Francis Simwanda equalising in the 23rd minute. Red Arrows won their home game last season.
In 2015 in March Red Arrows beat Nkana at their backward with Francis Kombe with that lone goal and they did beat Nkana again a year before at Nkana stadium 2-0 with Paul Katema and Francis Kombe with the goals.
But Nkana has also posted excellent results against Red Arrows, beating them 3-0 at Nkoloma Stadium in 2014 but the memorable one was the 4-1 beating in 2013 under Coach Massy in the 12th winning hunt. Nkana was exceptional in that encounter and Bestone would be hoping they replicate that.
Let me remind you of that memory on the last day of the season when Red Arrows was well beaten.
ZESCO United were leading via a John Ching’andu goal at Nchanga Stadium and with a draw at Nkana, Zesco would have won the league, But Nkana turned things around after going 1-0 from a Stanely Nshimbi 25th minute goal, Donashano Malama equalised in the 29th minute , still it was not enough to leapfrog Zesco as the win was the only result needed to get the title.
There came a hat trick king and am sure that’s why Nkana fans have serious affection of Ronald Kampamba. He put Nkana ahead in the 41st minute, added a second in the second half in the 48th and rounded up a perfect afternoon on the 90th minute to lift the title and send Nkana Stadium in a splendid joy I have never seen before. That was one of my finest moments watching football even when my Red Arrows was being punished.
Nkana were champions, ZESCO finished second, Nchanga Rangers were third with Red Arrows finishing fourth. Red Arrows would then give Nkana, Bruce Musakanya for the the Champions League campaign the following year!!!
Sweet memories but then this is 2017 and both need something hence am going for another draw, the sixth in 17 games.
Prediction: Nkana 2-2 Red Arrows
