Power Dynamos powered their way back into the top three after a hard fought for 2-0 home win over bottom placed National Assembly at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe in a rescheduled Faz Week 2 game.
The Faz Champions moved from seventh to third on 10 points from four matches relegating Zanaco to fourth place on goal difference and are now three points behind leaders Zesco United with a game in hand.
Assembly coach Wesley Mondo can surely not believe that he has failed to muster a single win for the promoted side with just two draws from five games played in the new season.
His side was lucky to have been 1-0 going into the halftime break after the outstanding midfielder Mukuka Mulenga had given Power the lead in the 40th minute.
The teenager made three cheeky step-over’s on the left side of the box to beat three Assembly defenders and ex-Zambia Under-20 goalkeeper Philip Banda before planting the ball in the right corner of the net.
Before then, Power midfielder Kennedy Mudenda hit the upright in the 10th minute from a Mukuka cross.
Wasteful striker Graven Chitalu continued to mis-fire after failing to connect with a perfect cross from defender Govender Simwala five minutes later.
Assembly too had some tangible chances in the first half when ex-Green Buffaloes and Nchanga Rangers striker Brian Chilando shot wide in the 9th minute when it seemed easier to beat Joshua Titima in Power’s goal.
Chilando again came close in the 36th minute but his shot from outside the box was parried by Titima.
The classy Donwell Yobe too had a good game for Assembly but he also found Titima outstanding between the posts in the 44th minute to tap-out the midfielders’ free-kick.
Chitalu continued to fluff after the break when he conspired to sky the ball one meter out in the 55th minute in front of an obliging goalmouth leaving an expectant and sizable midweek crowd at Arthur Davies stunned with the miss.
Power however made sure of the win in the 88th minute when Floyd Phiri tapped in the second and final goal five minutes after coming after benefitting from a sublime layoff from 55th minute substitute Francis Kombe.
[standings league_id=21 template=extend logo=false]