NAPSA Stars head coach, Perry Mutapa, has expressed his satisfaction with the 2022/2023 Super League season, describing it as a great season for his team.
After being relegated in 2021, the Pensioners made a successful return to the Super Division and currently sit in third place on the league table.
Depending on the results of other games, they could finish as high as third.
Although Mutapa had ambitions to secure second place and qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup, he believes that nothing went wrong despite his team falling short of the two continental slots allocated to Zambia.
He acknowledges that they have had a wonderful season and still have the potential to finish in third place. Even if things don’t go their way, they could still finish in sixth position.
Their final match of the season is against Prison Leopards in Kabwe, and Mutapa and his team are aiming for a victory to end the season on a positive note. He emphasises that every team wants to finish with a win regardless of their position in the league.
Mutapa expresses his happiness with the team’s performance and highlights that they have learned valuable lessons from their experiences.
As a team that recently came from Division One, their primary objective was to stabilise in the Super Division.
However, they found themselves competing for the second-place slot, which was unexpected but welcomed. Despite not achieving that goal, Mutapa remains satisfied with what they have accomplished.
He suggests that perhaps their inability to secure a continental spot indicates that they were not yet ready to compete at that level, and the teams that have qualified have earned the right to represent the country.
Mutapa acknowledges that they need to do better in the next season and overcome the challenges they faced this season.
He sees this season as an opportunity to make the correct decisions as a club, from administration to the players on the pitch. The focus will be on planning for the next season without any regrets.
Regarding their upcoming match against Prison Leopards, a win for NAPSA Stars would secure them a place in the top five, while a victory for Prison Leopards could see them finish in the top ten.
It is worth noting that NAPSA Stars have won all three previous meetings against Prison Leopards in the Super League.
