Nkana FC coach Elijah Tana says his side’s recent friendly matches have boosted confidence within the squad as Kalampa continue preparations for the new season.
Tana was speaking after Nkana defeated Shamuel Academy 6-1 at Nkana Stadium in a match played over three 40-minute periods.
The victory saw several players get on the scoresheet, with Simon Chipanama and Oliver Lumbiya scoring in the opening period before Jerosic Zulu, Wanzi Kampango and Kenny Lupupa added to Nkana’s tally.
For Tana, the spread of goals across the squad is an encouraging sign as competition for places intensifies.
“These players scoring more goals means everyone is motivated. Some time back, I used to tell them to expose themselves by scoring,” Tana told Nkana FC Media.
The coach believes Nkana have made significant progress since returning from their pre-season camp in Botswana, with a series of challenging friendlies helping the players develop.
“Since we came back from Botswana, I can see the guys have improved in all areas. Those friendlies have motivated us,” he said.
Tana also reflected positively on Nkana’s 3-1 defeat by Congolese giants TP Mazembe, insisting the result did not overshadow the lessons his team gained from the encounter.
“TP Mazembe are one of the best teams in Africa. The way we played against them, I saw a different ball game. In the first half, we put them under pressure. We could have scored four goals. We had four clear chances,” he said.
With the IRH-Mopani Challenge Cup clash against Mufulira Wanderers approaching, Tana says the focus must now shift towards maintaining the same level of concentration and intensity.
Nkana will face their Kitwe rivals in one of the key fixtures of their pre-season preparations as they continue to build towards the new campaign.
