Nkana head coach Mwenya Chipepo has warned against complacency ahead of Friday’s MTN Super League clash with FC Leopards, insisting the visitors’ desperate league position makes them dangerous opponents despite Kalampa’s recent resurgence.
Nkana welcome the struggling Leopards to Chilata Stadium in buoyant mood, having quietly pieced together an impressive run of form. Kalampa are unbeaten in five matches, winning four of them, including all of their last three outings. That sequence has lifted the Kitwe giants to 13th on the log with 19 points, easing fears of a prolonged relegation battle after a difficult start to the campaign.
Yet Chipepo, who is employed by the Zambia Correctional Service, is keenly aware of the challenge posed by Leopards — a club he knows well.
“I can say that’s my team also, because I’m employed at Zambia Correctional Service. I know it’s going to be a very, very difficult game. Yeah, we are playing at home. We have won three games in a row. And people have confidence that we are going to do well, even when we play Prison Leopard. But if you look at Prison Leopard, they have lost, I don’t know, maybe two games in a row. So it’s not going to be easy, because they want to move away from the position which they are playing at the moment.”
Leopards arrive in Kitwe sitting 17th with 13 points and are under mounting pressure to arrest their slide. The visitors are coached by Albert Kachinga, who is taking charge of only his second match since returning to the club, following an opening defeat away to Nkwazi.
Despite Nkana’s momentum and home advantage, Chipepo stressed that his side has prepared thoroughly for what he expects to be a stern test.
“But us at Nkana we have prepared a very good side, and all the guys are ready for the game on Friday.”
For Chipepo, the fixture also carries personal significance. As an employee of the Zambia Correctional Service, he admits there is added motivation to deliver a strong performance against Leopards.
“Yeah they are my bosses and you know when they send you to go and work for another team they expect me to perform well and if I don’t perform well you know they can take me back so I must make sure that at least I impress them so that at least I continue working.”
Nkana’s recent revival has been welcomed by their large and demanding fan base, particularly after the club found itself hovering dangerously close to the bottom of the table earlier in the season.
“Yeah, we were very, very worried as Nkana when we found ourselves second from last on the log, it wasn’t good for our supporters. As you know, Nkana has so many followers, so they expect Nkana to be performing well all the time. So now that we have looked into the problems we had, and the team has come back to its winning ways, we are very, very happy and let’s hope we continue doing even better than we have done.”
Chipepo, however, faces a minor selection concern, with one key player under medical supervision.
“Yeah, the only problem I have at the moment is Francis Debra who had an injury last time and the doctors are taking care of him and hopefully he’ll be back into the team.”
Nkana are unbeaten in their last two meetings with FC Leopards, recording one win and a draw. Victory on Friday could see Kalampa climb above NAPSA Stars and further distance themselves from the relegation zone, while another defeat for Leopards would deepen their crisis at the foot of the table.
NKANA PROVEMENT I SEE WHEN COUCH PUSH THE TEAM WII CAN GET THE LEAGUA