Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Richard Kasonde @ SS com
There were six different scorers for league champions Zanaco as they thrashed Mufulira Wanderers 6-0 in a week three match played at the National Heroes Stadium on Sunday.
Kennedy Musonda, Augustine Mulenga, Ernest Mbewe and Saith Sakala netted in the first half while Boyd Musonda and Richard Kasonde found the back of the net in the second half.
Musonda gave Zanaco the lead in the 3rd minute when his shot went in off the upright and Mulenga increased the advantage eleven minutes later.
Mbewe made it 3-0 in the 21st minute when he headed home from a corner delivered by Augustine Mulenga while man of the match Sakala struck five minutes before the break.
Musonda added the fifth in the 68th minute and Kasonde completed the rout with eight minutes of regular time remaining on the clock.
“I think this is a good result on our part. It shows that we are prepared to defend the league. Today we were clinical in terms of finishing because that is where we were not doing well in the last few games,” said Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba after the match.
“Today we managed to convert the chances we created and it made a difference.”
Meanwhile, Mufulira Wanderers assistant coach Moses Kashimoto said his team – which has not yet won any match and has allowed thirteen goals in three matches – was paying the price for letting several key players leave in the closed season.
Eric Chibuye (City of Lusaka), Progress Kalenga, Warren Kunda, Robert Mwanza (All Green Eagles), Austin Banda (Napsa Stars), Mike Katiba (Green Buffaloes) and Taonga Bwembya (Zanaco) are the players who left Shinde Stadium before the start of the current campaign.
Although there have been new recruits in Guily Manziba from Nkana as well as Emmanuel Kabasa and Malela Sapu from Lusaka Tigers among several others, they are yet to gel and the team seems to be in early contention for relegation.
But Kashimoto believes it is only a matter of time before the team starts picking up positive results.
“Our team is comprised of a lot of new players because most of our players left the club. We are going to bring the players together and boost their morale. They are good players,” said Kashimoto.
“It is too early to say we are out of the race because the season has just started. We have not started well but there are twenty teams in the league which means that we have time to recover.”
Their next match is at home to leaders Lumwana Radiants and Kashimoto is confident of victory.
“We are going to work hard for the match against Lumwana Radiants. It is not yet over.”