By Precious Bwale
Mufulira Wanderers head coach Lameck Banda praised his players despite their painful ABSA Cup semi-final exit to Power Dynamos, insisting their performance showed signs of progress.
Wanderers were edged out after a spirited display against one of Zambia’s strongest sides, matching Power Dynamos for long periods before eventually falling short on post match penalties.
Banda chose to focus on the positives, saying he had no regrets about his team’s effort despite the disappointment of missing out on a place in the final.
“Congratulations to Power Dynamos. No regrets — the boys did their part. We just couldn’t find the back of the net in regulation time,” Banda said.
The Wanderers coach admitted his side’s lack of cutting edge in attack remains a concern, but believes it is an area that can be improved with time.
“It’s something we need to keep working on. That has been one of our weaknesses,” he said.
Banda also dismissed suggestions that inexperience was the main reason behind the defeat, pointing instead to consistency and self-belief as key factors.
“It’s about belief. One day they perform, the other day they don’t. But the experience they are gaining is important,” he added.
Despite the loss, Wanderers leave the competition encouraged by their progress, while finalists Power Dynamos remain on course for a possible domestic double.
The winners of the ABSA Cup will receive K1,100,000, with the runners-up set to earn K450,000.
Individual honours will also be rewarded, with K25,000 each for the Player of the Tournament, Golden Boot winner and Golden Glove recipient, while Man of the Match winners in the remaining fixtures will pocket K15,000.
