The dramatic 2019/2020 Zambia Super League will today come to a close as Forest Rangers host Sensational Zanaco in a title decider at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium at 15:00hrs.
In March it was the deadly Coronavirus epidemic that brought Bola Yapa Zed to a halt but after negotiations, meetings, and finally an agreement between Government and the football family, the league resumed exactly four months later.
The COVID-19 positive cases then suddenly started rising and with challenges like shortage of testing kits and reagents, The FAZ Executive Committee acting on advice from the Ministry of Health through the Zambia National Public Health Institute decided to end the league prematurely as at week 27. A Decision that was met by mixed feelings from stakeholders but fortunately the league was scheduled for a normal ending with Thursday 6th August as the final day. All nine games on the day were scheduled to take place at the same time to comply with fair play norms.
KYSA and Mighty Mufulira Wanderers, Nakambala Leopards vs Nkana and Kabwe Warriors tussle with Power Dynamos could not take off, KYSA were in quarantine by orders from the Central Province Health department, Nakambala withdrew from playing any game after the resumption while Kabwe Warriors had less than 15 players for the match to go ahead.
The remaining six games went ahead as planned and with Napsa Stars losing to Forest Rangers 1-0 thanks to a Lameck Silwaba second-half goal, Nkana was headed for a record 13th title.
Seconds to the end of the match, League CEO Brian Mulenga announced that the Appeals Committee had overturned the Disciplinary Committee decision to award Zanaco three points from the unplayed match against Forest Rangers and ordered that the match be played. After which Nkana fans allegedly harassed FAZ officials on duty including FAZ President Andrew Ndanga Kamanga.
Hence Nkana’s coronation was put on hold to wait for the match between Zanaco and Forest Rangers to take place even though FAZ in their communique dated 30th July all outstanding issues were supposed to be dealt with before the final games took place.
“We regrettably have had to bring the 2019/2020 season to an early conclusion. To conclude the league, Week 26 games which will be played this coming weekend on 1st and 2nd of August 2020 and Week 27 fixtures scheduled for the 5th and 6th of August 2020 will be the final fixtures of the 2019/2020 Season.
Accordingly, champions will be declared for both the FAZ/MTN Super Division and FAZ/Eden University National Division One. In view of this, certain arrangements will have to be made to ensure the League is brought to a close without any outstanding issues. All teams unable to fulfill fixtures for any reason will forfeit them. All Matches that have been postponed or deferred will be referred for resolution by the Disciplinary Committee expeditiously.”
Back to the pitch, Fole Malembe has a chance to win their maiden Zambia Super League title if they manage to beat Chris Kaunda’s Sensational Zanaco who have nothing to fight for but just pride.
However, Forest Rangers face a team they have failed to beat since 2016 losing six straight games since then. In the last 23 games, Zanaco has beaten Fole Malembe 13 times, losing three times and the other seven games ending in draws.
Those statistics are giving hope to Nkana who needs Zanaco to continue their dominance for them to finally make it 13 league titles.
For Tenant Chilumba he will be aiming for his first league title after coming close with Napsa Stars in 2017 and Kabwe Warriors in 2019. Chilumba will look to the likes of Lameck Silwaba, Webster Muzaza, and goal machine Zikiru Adams to deliver a win this afternoon.
Either way, it goes the will be a new Champion in four years after Zesco United who won the last three consecutive titles finished outside the top four and nowhere near the league title circle.
We continue to believe pic.twitter.com/8VWoIfnqjB
— Forest Rangers Football Club (@FoleMalembe) August 9, 2020
It looks like Nkana fc will win the title twice in one season