FAZ PREMIER LEAGUE WEEK 1 MATCH REPORTS.
03/03/2007.

Kabwe Warriors 1- Nchanga Rangers 1.

Kabwe Warriors took the early lead in their opening game of the season before finishing level with visitors Nchanga Rangers at Railway Ground in Kabwe today.

Emmanuel Mauka scored his second successive goal of the season for Warriors in the 28th minute before Rangers midfielder Thomas Chisha equalized in five minutes later to see the two sides share the points.

Konkola Blades- 4 Young Arrows 1.

Konkola Blades are new leagues opening days leaders setting the pace with a resounding 4-1 home win over promoted Young Arrows at Konkola stadium in Chililabombwe.

Zambia Under 23 sibling duo of Stophira and Felix Nsunzu scored a goal each to inspire the Chililabombwe club the 3 points.

18 year old Zambia schools international midfielder Stophira headed Blades into the early lead on 3 minutes before his Under 23 team mate Thomas Nyirenda made it 2-0 eleven minutes later.

The score line remained 2-0 into the break before Jack Mwanza stretched Blades lead after the restart in the 50th minute and later turned provider for Felix Nsunzu’s headed in goal on 56 minutes.

Lottie Phiri got Young arrows consolation goal a minute from fulltime.

Red Arrows 2-Power Dynamos 1.

Zambia Under 20 winger Simon Lupiya scored a brace to send Power Dynamos to an embarrassing 2-1 away defeat on day 1 with goals in the 58th and 82nd minutes.

Lameck Mwale scored Powers’ consolation in-between in the 38th minute.

Zamtel 0- Lusaka Dynamos 0

Peter Kaumba’s Zamtel begun their top-flight debut with a gutsy scoreless draw on greasy pitch at their Musa Kasonka home ground in Ndola.

Zamtel struggled against Dynamos who seemingly went easy on their hosts.

Dynamos midfielder William Njovu was unlucky to give the visitors the 3 points after hitting the woodwork with a long-range drive and shooting wide six-yards out in the second period.

City of Lusaka 1-Roan United 0.

City won the first installment of the “Black and White” derby against fellow promoted side Roan United with a solitary goal from Zambia Under 23 striker Mazuba Mukandawire at Woodlands stadium.

Forest Rangers 1-National Assembly 1

Forest Rangers survived to collect a late point at their unforgiving home ground rallying via a 65th minute Daudi Musekwa penalty after Assembly had taken the lead 16 minutes into the game through Bruce Mwenya.

Postponed:

Zanaco-Nakambala Leopards

Green Buffaloes-Zesco United

courtesy of Kalumiana Kalumiana 

One of the most intriguing lower league contests in years is about to unravel in Faz division 1 in the competitions northern zone when the second tier seasons kicks off this Sunday.

A possible “intermediate league” could manifest itself if all goes according to forecast with demoted Chambishi FC and Kitwe United this year joining fallen giants Mufulira Wanderers and Nkana plus enterprising Afrisports FC in division 1 north.

The five clubs are all pre-season favorites in the hunt for promotion but joining them in the battle will be consistent Prison Leopards of Kabwe who are never far off the pace over the last five years in the race for promotion.

Record 11-time champions Nkana are strong favorites and still have a promising side that has been complement with the arrival of Zambia utility player Mark Sinyangwe who moved to the club from Power Dynamos in the off-season.

Nkana also boast the services of Kenneth “Bubble” Malitoli as head coach while Beston Chambeshi as his technical advisor.

They kickoff against away in a difficult game to Prisons in Kabwe on Sunday and a win will surely put an early shine on the fallen Kitwe giants’ quest to return to the top-flight after three-straight years in division 1 north.

But their challenge will be even harder with Chambishi aiming for a quick return and Nkana’s more affluent neighbors from up the Chingola-Kitwe road under Coach Aggrey Chiyangi will not be pushovers.

Chambishi’s financial power means they can still afford to hold on to their best players and attract some promising young fringe performers from the upper leagues.

A 2-0 win over Power a week ago in a pre-season friendly demonstrated Chambishi still had something in them despite a poor 2006 season that saw them stay rooted at the base of the table for most of the 30 matches played and consequently relegated.

Chambishi will be home in week 1 where they host division 1semi-permanent fixture side Lime Hotspurs who are yet to visit the top-flight.

Afrisports meanwhile have openly admitted that this will be their most difficult year ever and that they could face a possible relegation battle due to financial problems.

The entertaining side that gave us Zambia internationals Jacob Mulenga, Ignatius Lwipa and Rainford Kalaba will go back to basics this year and gamble on unknown academy players.

Afrisports have a 50-50 fixture at their Mapili home ground were they host newcomers Chindwin Sentries of Kabwe.

Kitwe United, like Afrisports, is in for a rough ride despite being touted as one of the early promotion contenders.

Financial problems that have consistently dogged the club over the last three years meant they have lost an entire first team, and again like Afrisports, are at square one.

Almost all six products from their very successfully youth system put in place in 2003 have all left to join top-flight clubs.

It will be a difficult season for them under Francis Mutembo and they await Police Blue Eagles in a local derby at Garden Park where they hope the 12th man in their unforgiving fans will help them to a valuable first home win.

And at Shinde, “Mighty” Mufulira Wanderers await army side Kalewa of Ndola and after a low profile off-season we await to see what Coach Fredrick Kashimoto has in store for us with legendary cup campaigning side.

FAZ DIVISION 1 WEEK 1.

04/03/2007.

NORTH.

Prison Leopards- Nkana.

Kitwe United-Police Blue Eagles.

Afrsiports- Chindwin Sentries.

Konkola Mine Police- Mufulira Blackpool.

Mufulira Wanderers- Kalewa.

INDENI- Muchundu Blue Eagles.

Chambishi FC- Lime Hotspurs.

Ndola United- Medical Stars.

SOUTH.

Riflemen- Lusaka City Council.

Nkwazi- Lusaka Tigers.

Kanbuku Warriors- Young Buffaloes.

Chilanga Heroes- Livingstone Pirates.

Communite-Zamcoal Diggers.

Profund Warriors- Kalomo Jetters.

ZNS Green Eagles- Lusaka Celtic.

Builders Brigade- Nampundwe.

The 2007 top-flight season kicks off this Saturday with six out of the eight scheduled week 1 fixtures taking place.

Champions Zanaco and runners-up Buffaloes are both away on Caf club cup assignments this weekend.

This will give Power Dynamos and Kabwe Warriors, who finished 3rd and 4th respectively, a chance to possibly enjoy an early head-start over last seasons top-two finishers.

Zanaco meanwhile were due to host Nakambala Leopards while Buffaloes too had a scheduled home fixture against Zesco United.

Power travel to 2004 league champions Red Arrows who had a difficult 2006 season after flirting with relegation for most of last year before finishing 10th.

Arrows will be hoping to extend their 4-match unbeaten league run stretching from the latter part of last season when they face Power who ended their 2006 league campaign with a 2-0 home defeat against Zanaco.

However, Power face Arrows having beaten their hosts this weekend both home and away last season and will be hoping for more of the same at Nkoloma.

Power are also set to introduce their top-two new signings in playmaker Joseph Sitali and defender Terence Mpundu formally of Kitwe United.

Meanwhile, much more is expected from striker Elson Mukandawire this season who begins his third season with the Arthur Davies side but has yet to fulfil his full potential.

The game will also see defender Lombe Kaluba facing his former club for the first time since joining Arrows from Forest Rangers this year.

At Railway Ground in Kabwe, Warriors host Nchanga Rangers with the latter set to rollout a whole new frontline against The Railwaymen.

Ex-Forest strikers Floyd Phiri and Lyson Siakonga are expected to start against Warriors as the 1998 league champions seek to put a forgettable 2006 behind them.

In the rest of Saturdays other league fixtures, Forest stay home to entertain National Assembly FC at their almost impenetrable Dola Hill stadium in Ndola.

At Konkola stadium in Chililabombwe, Konkola Blades await promoted Young Arrows.
Zamtel FC make their top-flight debut with a home fixture in Ndola at Musa Kasonka against Lusaka Dynamos in our featured match of the day.

And at Woodlands stadium, age-old rivalries will be rekindled when City of Lusaka host Roan United in a “Black and White” derby.

Both City and Roan, founding members of the over half the century-old Zambian top-flight, were promoted back to the top-flight at the end of last season.

The two return to the top-flight for the first time since they were both relegated at the end of the 2003 league season.

Zanaco on Friday face Tunisian giants Esperance in a 2nd round, 1st leg tie of this year’s Caf Africa Champions League away in Tunis.

It will be Zanaco’s 4th outing in the competition in which they have yet to reach the group stage of Africa’s premier club competitions.

Moreover, Zanaco have yet to also eliminate an Arab opponent in two of their last three Champions League outings.

Egyptian club Ismaily ousted Zanaco in the 2003 edition of the tournament with the Sunset side losing in 1st round 1-0 away to bow out 1-0 on aggregate,

Later in 2006, Algerian club JS Kabylie ejected Zanaco from the competition 3-0 away after earlier winning 1-0 at home, going out 3-1 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, Zanaco stuttered through from the 1st round with a 1-0 aggregate win over Likhopo of Lesotho after drawing 0-0 away in the first leg and are away their have some serious work cut out for them in Tunis against the 1994 African champions.

Esperance, in their last round matches, cruised to a 6-1 aggregate win via 4-0 and 2-1 home and away wins respectively over Renaissance of Chad.

And in the Caf Confederations Cup, Green Buffaloes will be in action on Saturday away to St Pauloise of The Reunion Island.

Buffaloes enjoyed a preliminary round bye in this year’s Confed Cup.

The William ” Tiger boy ” Wrestling Foundation has appealed to President Mwanawasa, bushiness houses and individuals to support its HIV/AIDS sensitization programme through wrestling for youths in the country.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS today, Nkandu said President Mwanawasa should
come to the aid of his foundation by supporting its programme of HIV/AIDS
sensitisation among youths in Zambia.

Nkandu said his foundation has set up a deliberate programme of sensitising youths
on the dangers of HIV/AIDS, alcohol and substance abuse.

Nkandu said his foundation was concerned at the high youth unemployment rate in
Zambia which has made youths to resort to beer drinking, promiscuity and other
anti-social vices that are breeding grounds for acquiring HIV/AIDS.

” It is for this reason that the Foundation has initiated a sensitization programme
through wrestling because the sport is good for self discipline and esteem,” he
said.

The country’s long standing wrestler who started the sport in the early sixties,
said his foundation was also aiming to use wrestling to create jobs for the majority
of the unemployed youths in the country.

Nkandu , who said wrestling was now a growing sport among youths in Zambia, added
that his foundation cannot carry out  its  programme because of lack of support.

He explained that the general public, corporate world and the general public should
stop thinking and saying his foundation was a one man foundation as it was a
registered foundation, with six executive members and four committee members.

The wrestler cum wrestling coach has also appealed to business houses with unused
ware houses to consider letting out the structures to his foundation for gymnasiums.

He said any concerned company, government department and individuals could contact
his foundation on mobile number 097 534 560 or 095 871 058.

And Nkandu has appealed to the Sport, Youth and Child Development minister Gabriel
Namulambe to sanction his re-match against Congo DR wrestler Mulonji Mulonji.

Nkandu said it is unfair for the government and the country as a whole not allow a
re-match with Mulonji on suspicion that he would get  killed.

He said he was ready to face Mulonji adding that if the minister sanctions the
re-match he would teach Mulonji a lesson that would convert him to Christianity in
the end.

The match last year between the two rival wrestlers was discontinued after the
Congolese wrestler had allegedly used suspected juju that made Nkandu appear
confused.

He said the re-match would also allow his foundation to build on its finances for
its HIV/AIDS sensitization through wrestling.