Defending MTN Super League champions Power Dynamos face a stern test against an in-form FC MUZA in Mazabuka on Saturday, with coach Osward Mutapa urging his players to maintain their consistency as they target a third consecutive victory in the 2026 transitional season.
The Kitwe-based side travel to Mazabuka for a 15:00 kick-off against a MUZA outfit that has made an encouraging start to the campaign, remaining unbeaten after three matches.
MUZA head into the encounter on the back of a 1-0 victory over Makeni All Stars, a result that lifted them to second place in Stream A with seven points from three games, having recorded two wins and a draw.
Power Dynamos, meanwhile, have collected six points and sit fourth after recovering from their opening setback with back-to-back victories. Their latest result was a 2-1 home win over Trident FC.
Mutapa has acknowledged the difficulty of facing MUZA on their home ground but believes his side must build on their recent performances if they are to maintain their momentum.
“Another tough fixture. MUZA at home have played two and won both of their games, meaning their confidence is high. But we have to go out there and show a lot of consistency. We are coming from two wins, so we need to build on that,” Mutapa said.
The defending champions could receive a timely boost with the return of Eddie Ankobo and Kondwani Chiboni, who have been sidelined through injury.
Mutapa welcomed their return to contention but indicated that the technical bench would assess their fitness before deciding how much playing time they could manage.
“They are back, which is important for the team. Hopefully, we will see how many minutes they can have. It is important to have players who have shown consistency in the past around,” he said.
Power Dynamos have continued preparations for the trip, with Mutapa confirming that the team had undertaken significant work ahead of the fixture and was scheduled to hold its final training session on Friday morning.
With a heatwave affecting parts of Zambia, the conditions in Mazabuka could present an additional challenge for both sides. However, Mutapa insists the weather will not be an excuse for his team, stressing that both teams must adapt to the conditions.
“The heatwave will not only affect Power Dynamos, but it will affect everyone, so that should not be an excuse, unless they are playing in different weather from what we will be playing in. For me, it affects everyone, but we have to respond,” he said.
The coach added that his team would request water breaks to help players cope with the heat but maintained that the responsibility remained on the players to respond positively on the pitch.
Attention will eventually turn to the highly anticipated Kitwe derby, but Mutapa is determined to keep his players focused on the immediate challenge against MUZA.
“For me, it is one game at a time, and the MUZA game is the most important one,” he said.
Mutapa has also called on Power Dynamos supporters to turn out in numbers and continue backing the team as the champions seek to extend their winning run.
“Playing football needs the fans to be available to push the team, so we actually need them to be available,” he added.
Historical meetings between the two sides favour Power Dynamos, who have won five of their last 10 encounters, while four matches have ended in draws and MUZA have claimed one victory.
Their most recent meeting in March 2026 saw Power Dynamos secure a 4-2 win, although Saturday’s encounter presents a fresh challenge against a MUZA side that will be looking to protect its unbeaten start and close the gap on the teams above them.
With both sides enjoying positive runs of form, the clash in Mazabuka promises to be an important early test of their ambitions in the transitional campaign.
