By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Kansanshi Dynamos head coach Dennis Makinka has admitted that defensive frailties and a lack of mental resilience proved costly as his side suffered a 3-0 defeat to ZANACO FC in the Transitional League at Sunset Stadium.
The defeat was a setback for Kansanshi, who had hoped to build on their previous victory but were undone by defensive lapses and an inability to recover after conceding.
Makinka said his side had specifically prepared to contain Zanaco’s threat in the opening 20 minutes after analysing the Bankers’ tendency to score early in their previous matches.
However, Kansanshi conceded despite anticipating the hosts’ attacking approach, particularly their use of the wings, crosses and set pieces.
“We started very well in the first 20 minutes as we planned. We looked at Zanaco’s statistics, and in two games they scored early, so our plan was to stop them from scoring in the opening 20 minutes,” Makinka said.
“But we conceded early, and from the kind of play we talked about, we knew Zanaco’s game is always from the wings, crosses and set pieces. We did not defend well and allowed those goals from situations we had worked so hard on.”
The coach admitted that his side’s defensive shortcomings were particularly frustrating because the goals came from situations they had anticipated and addressed in training.
Kansanshi also struggled to make their attacking opportunities count, with Makinka pointing to a lack of quality in the final delivery as another factor behind their disappointing performance.
“We also had similar chances in the first half. We could have put in maybe two good crosses, and they could have resulted in two goals, but the final pass for someone to finish was not there,” he said.
Makinka was equally concerned by his players’ reaction after conceding the second goal, saying their failure to show character allowed the game to slip further away.
“After conceding one, we did not show much character. We looked like we collapsed. It is something that we will work on, and we will come back strong,” he added.
The coach also highlighted the team’s slow transition from attack to defence as a recurring weakness, drawing comparisons with their earlier encounter against FC MUZA.
“Our defensive organisation today was very poor. It is like the game we played against MUZA. Every time we transition from attack to defence, we are a bit slow, so that is something to work on,” Makinka said.
Kansanshi Dynamos sit seventh in Stream A with four points from four matches and will be eager to respond when they face NAPSA Stars in their next assignment.
NAPSA Stars will also be looking to bounce back after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Nchanga Rangers, setting up an encounter between two sides seeking a return to winning ways.
