By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Zanaco FC Assistant coach Noel Mwandila has blamed a late lapse in concentration for his side’s failure to secure maximum points after conceding a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2-2 draw against FC MUZA at Sunset Stadium on Wednesday.
The Bankers appeared poised to claim all three points after recovering from an early setback and taking the lead despite being reduced to ten men, only for Lewis Kasono to strike deep into added time and rescue a point for the visitors.
Zanaco had fallen behind in the 13th minute when Kiala Wa Kiala found the net before Tobias Chungu doubled MUZA’s advantage in the 30th minute.
However, the Bankers mounted a spirited response after the break, with Dominic Kanda pulling one back in the 57th minute before Zanaco completed their comeback to take the lead.
Their hopes of securing a valuable victory were ultimately dashed when Kasono struck in the 90th minute plus three to earn MUZA a share of the spoils.
Reflecting on the result, Mwandila praised his players for their tactical discipline, particularly after the dismissal of goalkeeper Francis Mwansa, but admitted that their inability to maintain concentration in the closing stages proved costly.
“I think it was a tough game, especially after the red card. But I thought we controlled the game, even in the moments when we were one man down. Tactically, the boys did well,” he said.
“If you saw, we even managed to score in open play, not from a set piece. It is just unfortunate that in the dying minutes, there was a lack of concentration. We failed to hold on to the lead and they managed to equalise.”
The Zanaco coach said conceding so late was particularly frustrating, stressing that players must remain focused until the final whistle.
“Football is about concentration until the last whistle. Those three minutes in the dying stages are the most crucial moments of the game. You need total concentration, but I think just one lapse allowed them to equalise,” Mwandila added.
He also identified the defensive error that led to Mwansa’s dismissal as an area requiring improvement, while defending the goalkeeper’s reaction to the situation.
“There are moments we could have avoided, especially the situation that led to the red card. We thought the judgement from our defence was not on point, and it resulted in the goalkeeper reacting to that situation.
“So you can’t blame the keeper. He reacted, and that’s part of the game. He got one for the team.”
The draw leaves Zanaco fourth in the Stream A standings with 11 points from six matches, while MUZA remain second on 12 points, maintaining their unbeaten start to the transitional campaign.
With the league taking a break for international football, Mwandila says his immediate priority will be to regroup and prepare his squad for their next assignment against defending champions Power Dynamos.
“Obviously, we reorganise and try to get back to work and start planning for our next fixture against Power Dynamos,” he said.
