MY VIEW IN THE FAZ MTN SUPER LEAGUE IN WEEK 18!!
HOW WILL BWEZANI PERFORM IN WEEK 18!!! WELCOME TO THE SUPER LEAGUE SECOND ROUND.
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Friday, 15th July, 2016
Mufulira Wanderers vs Forest Rangers
Shinde Stadium
15:00
Mufulira Wanderers straight from a massive point away at Zesco United take on one of the form teams of the first round. That’s Forest Rangers tutored by the latest tactician Patrick Phiri who has done so well after taking over at Dola Hill.
These teams played to a 0-0 draw in the first round at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. Last season Mighty did a double against Forest Rangers and that were the result that helped Mighty finished were they did.
Forest Rangers are 7th and Mighty Mufulira Wanderers are 12th Forest Rangers cannot move massively should they win this encounter as the maximum they can go to 27 points above Kabwe Warriors but will have to wait for that encounter against ZANACO.
There is an advantage with Mufulira Wanderers here, it’s the only team with fewest losses of all teams from fifth position and then reliable information suggest that there will be a new set of jersey in this encounter. The team has not played badly recently and am sure the day the wins start coming is in this game but am not sure with the defensive make up.
MY VERDICT: Mufulira Wanderers 2-1 Forest Rangers
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Saturday, 16th July, 2016
Lusaka Dynamos vs Mufulira Blackpool
Sunset Stadium
13:00hrs
Both teams are in the relegation zone and they are in real danger of going to division one if they don’t do something fast to rescue their season. These teams played the first game of the 2016 season at Athur Davies stadium in Kitwe and it was Lusaka Dynamos with the three points.
Mufulira Blackpool are yet to win a game this season and they will look at this encounter to be one opportunity to do that. They need a perfect run to have any chance of staying up or they go down the zones.
There are rumours of Conlyde Luchanga leaving Lusaka Dynamos for Power Dynamos and it will be seen of the golden boy will still feature for the Elite boys. Kennedy Musonda has been a goal poacher for Lusaka Dynamos this season and I think they have the strikers to do that task. Am yet to see what Blackpool comes back with from mid-season break but the first 17 games were a let-down.
MY VERDICT: Lusaka Dynamos 2-0 Mufulira Blackpool
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Zanaco vs Kabwe Warriors
Sunset Stadium
15:00
The league leaders walk to the pitch as confident as ever and they will be looking to extend their point tally to 43. There is a sense of believe around Sunset that this could be their year which they last bagged in 2012. Should they manage to get it, it will be the 7th after firs winning it in 2002, they managed to defend it in 2003 before handing over to Red Arrows in 2004. ZANACO would come back a year later to grab it in 2005 and again defend it in 2006 before handing it over to ZESCO in 2007. They won the fifth in 2009 and the last was in 2012.
They look good to grab the 7th but they will have to work hard for it, they play the majority of games in the second round in Lusaka and that is the advantage for the BNAKERS.
But before the title talks they have unfinished business with Kabwe Warriors and in the last 17 games between these two sides Zanaco has won 11 drew 3 and lost 3. This season the teams drew 1-1 in Kabwe but the history of 2014 is not good on Kabwe warriors who lost both games with the memories of the indirect free kick at sunset ending in 2-0 which has remained a bitter memory in the minds of Kabwe Warriors fans as that was one of the reasons the team would go to division one in 2015.
This one is a tough one for Kabwe Warriors I think ZANACO is too strong at home and it will prove that again.
MY VERDICT: ZANACO 3-1 Kabwe Warriors
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NAPSA Stars vs Power Dynamos
Woodlands Stadium
15:00
NAPSA felt hard done in the game played at Athur Davies Stadium on the first day of this season. Truth be told that decisions went against NAPSA too much in that encounter and they will look at this fixture as one game that they can avenge that 2-1 defeat. But its Power Dynamos we are talking about with a renewed hope of fighting for the title should the top teams sleep. The record in the past games between these two sides favours Power Dynamos who has only lost once in the 9 ties. The last time NAPSA beat Power dynamos was in 2012 season and that is the only time in the Super league. The other 7 have been wins for Power dynamos with one draw.
Am not sure what Power Dynamos has done in the off season apart from the trip to Livingstone and I think NAPSA can handle the pressure.
MY VERDICT: NAPSA 1-1 Power Dynamos
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Nakambala Leopards vs Red Arrows
Nakambala Stadium
15:00
An interesting encounter that needs to be followed accurately. Both teams are on 20 points and the winner will join Nkwazi and Nchanga Rangers should they lose their games. The last games shows 15 and in those 15 Red Arrows has 9 wins while Nakambala has 4. Red Arrows has won four times away in Nakambala and that will be motivation enough. In the 2015 season the game in Mazabuka ended in a draw but Nakambala beat Red Arrows 3-1 at Nkoloma Stadium. This season Nakambala has already lost to Red Arrows 1-0. Red Arrows knows this is not an easy place to go to and coming with a point us considered winning in Mazabuka. Not everything is good with Nakambala and if they want to survive relegation these are the games they have to take advantage of. You really don’t know how Redd Arrows will turn up but if there is a better season to beat Red Arrows is this season. The team looks a bit off and they are not consistent. Playing in Mazabuka will be a more disadvantage and hence going for a home win.
MY VERDICT: Nakambala Leopards 1-0 Red Arrows
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Green Buffaloes vs Green Eagles
Independence Stadium
15:00
This one is interesting but I think we shall have an obvious winner. Eagles have had a bad season so far and we are yet to see what the mid-season break has provided with the Choma outfit. In the last seven they have only managed to beat Green Buffaloes in two games and those two games came in 2015 when Eagles did a double against Buffaloes.
But already this season Buffaloes beat Eagles 1-0 away in Choma. The only motivation for Green Eagles is that Satchmo their number one goal keeper may make a comeback after being spotted in training and the goal keeper looks sharp. Green Eagles will need his services to stop the Buffalloes which is Green in this encounter. Fourth spot is on for grabs this weekend between Power Dynamos and Green Buffaloes. Should GBFC drop points against Green Eagles and Power Dynamos beat NAPSA then Power will end week 18 in fourth. But then GBFC will also be looking further third as they can leapfrog third placed Nkana should Nkwazi prove a difficult team for Nkana. All to play for but I think GBFC will be too strong for Green Eagles and do a double.
MY VERDICT: Green Buffaloes 2-0 Green Eagles
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Sunday, 17th July, 2016
Nchanga Rangers vs Lusaka Tigers
Nkana Stadium
13:00
NCHANGA Rangers will take this as a must win game and avenge for the defeat that they experienced on the first day of the season at Independence Stadium. NCHANGA Rangers travelled with a makeshift team with other players not registered and Lusaka Tigers took advantage to win 1-0. Things have since gone better for Rangers than Tigers as their positions can tell. Rangers are ninth and Lusaka Tigers may finish end week 18 in relegation should they lose this one. They are good at defending and they may spoil the party for Nchanga Rangers on Sunday afternoon. It looks like Tiger Anaka but I think they will collect a point in this encounter.
MY VERDICT: Nchanga Rangers 0-0 Lusaka Tigers
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Nkana vs Nkwazi
Nkana Stadium
15:00
The last game of Week 18 ends with Nkana taking on Nkwazi. Shadreck Musonda and Walter Bwalya scored for Nkana in this encounter in Lusaka and got the three points. That was a very good start for Nkana who went four out of four without dropping a point. Everything scrambled when they met Lusaka Tigers in Lusaka.
Nkana still have a say where the league will finally land. We have 17 games to play and the Wusakile team is not giving up yet but they need to come out big against big boys. Nkana remain the second best scoring side in the league this season only second to ZANACO, the challenge that Nkana has is in defence. The team has allowed 16 goals and that is the worst of the top six teams. With such a tight race goal difference matters and the more Nkana allows goals at will the more difficult it will be to fight for this title.
They host Nkwazi, 8th on the log on 23 points. They have missed a Barclays Cup slot which they played the final and now their objective would be to finish as high as possible. I don’t think they will move upwards this weekend.
MY VERDICT: Nkana 2-1 Nkwazi
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Postponed
Lumwana Radiants vs Zesco United
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LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE GAMES.
