ZESCO United interim Head coach Emmanuel Siwale has called on the fans to turn up in numbers as they take on Forest Rangers tomorrow at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The log leaders will be looking to maintain their place at the summit of the MTN Super League table as Power Dynamos are just two points behind them. Siwale expects a tough encounter against the Dola Hill based outfit but feels his side has prepared adequately for the match. “The team is very much ready, and we know it’s another derby, playing Forest Rangers is not an easy game. We know what these derbies can be but we have prepared adequately and are very much ready for the encounter,” he said. “We are playing at home. We can ask our fans to come in numbers because we very much need this win, it’s a derby but these are the people who can make us win,” he added. With Power Dynamos just two points behind them, Siwale does not want to focus on anything else but the target at hand. “It’s getting hot and that’s why I have talked about our 12th player. We only want to focus on our target, playing Forest and collecting maximum points so that we can maintain our position,” he said. “We have to psych our players to be well disciplined and ready because this is a derby. They may want to prove something, so we should not allow that because what we want are maximum points, and we don’t want to drop the guard.” That’s why I said it earlier, I talked about our supporters coming in large numbers to give us the support and push us like never before so that we can collect maximum points because at the end of the day ZESCO United is all of us. ZESCO United are coming off a surprising goalless draw against Indeni while Forest Rangers and Mutondo also played to a stalemate. The Nine time MTN Super League Champions last lost to Forest Rangers back in 2020, 1-0 courtesy of a Zikiru Adams goal. Zega Mambo have won three of the last eight meetings with 5 matches ending in draws.
The Zambia U17 Women’s Nationql Team has left for Togo to face Benin in the final round, second leg of the 2025 U17 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers. The Copper Princesses left Kenneth Kaunda International Airport at 15h15 aboard Ethiopian Airlines. Zambia holds a 2-1 first leg advantage over Benin heading into the decisive match on April 26 in Lome. The Copper Princesses will be aiming to secure a historic back to back World Cup qualification while Benin is in search of its first-ever World Cup appearance. By FAZ Media
The Zambian Premier League (ZPL) has referred the two incidents that happened during week 32 of the MTN Super League to the FAZ Disciplinary Committee. ZPL has urged the clubs to take greater responsibility in managing their players, officials and supporters and enhancing matchday security. Kabwe Warriors players confronted the first assistant after their goal was ruled out for offside and looked to have gotten physical in their approach in the video that’s circulating online. Meanwhile, suspected Nkana fans uprooted over 500 seats at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium as chaos erupted after a penalty was awarded to Power Dynamos after a foul on Prince Mumba in the Kitwe derby. “The Zambian Premier League (ZPL) has taken note of the incidents that occurred during the Week 32 fixtures between NAPSA Stars and Kabwe Warriors at REIZ Arena, and Nkana vs Power Dynamos at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. In line with set guidelines the matters shall be referred to the FAZ Disciplinary Committee for due determination of the cases. We urge all clubs to take greater responsibility in managing their players, officials and supporters and enhancing matchday security. The ZPL remains committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and enjoyable environment for all. Football should be a family-friendly experience where fans of all ages feel safe and welcome. Acts of violence not only disrupt this atmosphere but also undermine the spirit of the game.” The Statement went on; Likewise all fans are also urged to respect the game, support their teams peacefully, and report any misconduct to the appropriate authorities.” The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) on the other hand has hinted on harsh punishment for the perpetrators of the chaos at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium that caused damage to the stadium. “We sign off on a disturbing note following ugly scenes at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium where some hooligans masquerading as fans ripped off seats in protest of a penalty given to Power Dynamos against Nkana. The match ended 1-1. With the game being the most popular and biggest advert of our league, there could not have been a worse portrayal of our football. We are barely hanging on to one FIFA approved stadium and cannot afford such levels of barbarism. While it is too early to provide a conclusive picture of what measures will be taken, I can definitely confirm that this behaviour will be heavily punished.” Meanwhile Nkana Football Club whose fans have been figured as the major culprit in Sunday’s chaos has offered to replace the seats damaged during the derby. “While we may not agree with the referee’s decision, we respect the game and the spirit of sportsmanship. We deeply regret the actions of some individuals that led to the damage of property. As a club, we stand for integrity and respect, and we are committed to making amends,” Club President, Eng. Joseph Silwimba said. “We would like to offer our sincere apologies to the stadium management and we will take steps to replace the damaged seats.”
THE Zambia Under -20 men’s national team has safely landed in Cairo ahead of 2025 TotalEnergies Egypt Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U20 tournament that swings into action this week. The team plus officials touched down at the Cairo International Airport at exactly 10:50 hours local time and are expected to have their loosening up this evening. FAZ has secured an international friendly for the junior Chipolopolo against Ghana, set for 18:00 hours kick off tomorrow. The friendly will help the technical bench gauge the preparedness of the team ahead of the tournament that swings into action on Thursday. Zambia has been drawn into Group A, alongside hosts Egypt, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Tanzania, in the tournament scheduled from April 27 to May 18. The Mulwanda tutored side will open their AFCON journey on April 27 against hosts Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium. Switzerland based Joseph Sabobo Banda leads five other foreign-based players that include Joseph Liteta,Frank Chileshe, Andrew Mulenga), Bonephanseo Phiri and Aaron Mbemba are expected to join the rest of the team before Wednesday. By FAZ Media