Record 13 time Zambia Super League Champions, Nkana Football Club started their campaign with a goalless draw.
The 2020 Champions were held to a scoreless draw by the magnificent People’s team, Kabwe Warriors at Nkana Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Warriors had to play the last 15 minutes with a man down after Dominic Chanda was sent for an early shower following a dangerous/ tactical foul on Alex Ng’onga.
Next up for Nkana is a short trip to Ndola to face Buildcon while Kabwe Warriors will host Forest Rangers at the Godfrey Ucar Chitalu Stadium.
In Chingola, Newly promoted, Nchanga Rangers started their campaign with a hard fought 1-0 win over Buildcon.
Former ZESCO United midfielder Logic Ching’andu scored the only goal of the game.
.2022/23 MTN SUPER LEAGUE WEEK 1 RESULTS | Sunday, 21st August, 2022
Nchanga Rangers 1-0 Buildcon
(Logic Chingandu 36′ )
Nkana 0-0 Kabwe Warriors
The proper heading should ve been Nkana hold 10 man Kabwe Warriors.
I have been thinking for a couple of years now that the city of Kitwe needs a modern sports facility. I was watching the football match between Nkana FC and Kabwe warriors over the weekend. It was clear that the players on the field were struggling to have a football match. The field was so uneven such that a player was lucky if a pass found the intended target. It was sad to see the home of the record league winners in such a state. The match a times degenerated into a hybrid mix between netball and volley ball. Nkana football club should by now have a reticulation system for the stadium, constant water supply throughout the year, equipment to maintain the playing surface and most importantly a knowledgeable grounds keeper.
Problems of Nkana Stadium aside, it was fairly evident that the spectator areas are no longer adequate. In fact I would say they are a health hazard if you consider how difficult it would be for those in the open wing to evacuate in case of an emergency. The concrete slabs we call terraces are a convenient way to squeeze the most number of people into the stadium but if you look at the safety guidelines being enforced at international tournaments, it will not be long before Fifa and Caf begin to follow these rules for local league matches. Already you can see it in the Caf Champions league and the Confederations Cup. Lastly the stadium in looking its age. I can say many similar things about Authur Davie Stadium Garden Park and Kitwe Playing fields. Some of the best football in Zambia was played on these grounds once upon a time. Zambian football history would not be complete without mention of these facilities. Alas, we must now admit the need to move on to bigger and better things.
My proposition is a joint stadium development by the local authorities and the two biggest clubs in town. Stadium sharing is not uncommon in the world. An example close to home is how the Cape Town Stadium shared by Ajax Cape Town and Cape Town City FC. A new stadium encourages stadium attendance as Simba SC of Tanzania can attest. The stadium can also be built by way of a finance lease, entering into naming right agreements, seeking funding from angel investors, acquiring bank loans or a mix of the above.
I don’t think this is a decision that can be made in the short term. I don’t expect a project such as this to be finished in a year or two. I am saying its time to start thinking about how the future will look like and how we shall get there.
@ Mr Football, thanks for your observations which have come at the right time! Going back to the time of Mr Arther Davis- chairman; what a shameless lot Nkana officials are who wouldn’t see the playing turf at Arthur Davis stadium as a challenge. For old soccer fans we wonder if change will ever come to this stadium, an old relic from the past. Anytime they talk of renovations its painting and throwing black soil on the playing turf. Talk of ablution blocks, omg, they are a disaster ! Amano yabu shi maini tayakapwe pachilata.