It was a truly, truly memorable Absa Bank Zambia 🇿🇲 sponsored K4 million rich Absa Cup grand finale graced by Mr. President Hakainde Hichilema.
Mr. Hichilema showed off superb skills in shuffling the ball with his shoes-not an easy undertaking when it is not football shoes-before booting it away.
It drew applause from the entourage that accompanied him to get proceedings rolling.
That posse included Zambian football all weather friends from ABSA Zambia led by the inspirational 🇿🇲 CEO madam Mizinga Melu, FAZ President Andrew Kamanga and off course, the Minister of Sport Hon. Elvis Nkandu among others.
The two protagonists were dressed in immaculate Adidas kit from ABSA Zambia Limited. Red Arrows were resplendent in red and Napsa Stars dapper in their blue and yellow trim uniform.
Both were dressed for the occasion. The crowd was the best ever seen at Nkoloma Stadium in recent memory.
When FIFA referee Audrick Nkole blew life into the whistle it was game game between the top dog-newly crowned Zambia league champions and the under-dog; newly graduated from Eden University First Division third placed side.
In my previous writing prior to the grand festivity, I had shared the 5 stars on both sides who were likely to swing the final.
Now today, I look at the players that shorn brightest in what was a memorable final.
- Rodwell Mukwanya: Pulled off wonder stops in the Napsa Stars goal. If there was a goalkeeper of the tournament accolade, Mukwanya was going to grab it. Yusuf Lamu the goalkeeper coach at Stars needs to be commended.
Mukwanya is a relative unknown who has grabbed the number one spot in the Stars posts off experienced hands in Rabson Mucheleng’anga and Philip Banda, the elder brother to Under-20 Africa Cup 2017 winner Mangani.
- Allan Kapila- Mr Reliable showed again his defence armory. Strong in the air like a Zambia Airforce jet fighter and tough in the tackle. He was not scared to play the ball from the back.
The speedy Kapembwa Muzo Musonda Elisha had his work cut out for him but dealt with the lad well except on one first half occasion when the UNZA graduate was let clean on goal only to be denied by an incredible Charles Kalumba point blank range save.
- Benedict Chepeshi-was named player of the tournament by the selectors. In this game, the Arrows skipper was rather subdued but strived to start and stir his side to success. The Stars technical bench nullified his threat by asking the attacking pensioners to press high.
Gets in by virtue of the vote by selectors as player of the tournament.
Captain Chepeshi looked a confident club player than in the Chipolopolo colours.
- Luka Banda-the Stars captain looked the player former Zambia 🇿🇲 coach Micho trusted in the Chipolopolo rear guard. Strong as an ox in the field, Banda was bundles of energy and defensive solidity. Perhaps, he benefited from the return of Kenyan David Owino Odhiambo who was a calming experienced influence at the back.
The two never really looked troubled. The Stars defence was solid until late on when 2012 Africa Cup champion Chamanga James entered the fray.
Stars coach Perry Mutapa saw not just the fancy gold in the baldy Chamanga head but the threat of an equalizer and threw in an extra centre back in Luka Nguni.
Anything that strayed through, Mukwanya was equal to the task.
- Owino-the Nakuru, Kenya born is now 34. He pulled all his experience of keeping out Nigerians in the Harambe Stars shirt earning the moniker “Calabah” to help Stars to victory with a very disciplined defensive display. This is the Calabar that owned the ZESCO United defence in reaching the 2018 CAF Champions League.
The former Gor Mahia man was immense and edges out Treasor Tshibwabwa YambaYamba who had an immaculate display yet again alongside Kapila were on the losing side in the final.
- Sydney Kalume: experience was key for Mutapa. This man was the donkey worker breaking the Arrows play like his life depended on it. I warned in my earlier writing that the 34-year-old Nkana player of the season and COSAFA 2013 champion was going to put in the hard graft. Boy, did he not get in hard tackles? Kalume and Daniel Adoko ensured Arrows did not play their usual game.
Malian Allassane Diarra, the architect of most Arrows potent attacks, was at the receiving end of some harsh tackles and never got going.
With Chepeshi and Diarra dismissed, Arrows were dead tactically.
- Daniel Adoko: Kalume’s partner in tough tackles crime was hungry from Nkole’s first whistle to put in leg shuttering challenges. The 22-year-old Ghanaian 🇬🇭 stuck to the Mutapa tactical master plan like a tick on dog.
- Yousuf Saddam Phiri: probably the only attacking Arrows player on the day that tried his hardest but thwarted by Mukwanya when he escaped the attention of Bornwell Silengo a few times or on set pieces that were hard to execute on the day like finding water in a desert.
9.Kapembwa Musonda: showed his strength as the spearhead of the Stars attack.
He will curse his first half miss. The UNZA graduate really worked hard pressing from the front.
He completed the entire match like a true battling varsity scholar.
- Chaniza Zulu: STAR MAN of the Absa Cup final. His wonder strike to decide the match was worth winning any cup final.
When the ball arrived on the former Lumwana Radiants and briefly Power Dynamos forward’s feet no danger was engraved on it.
How it flew into the back of Kalumba’s net was a thing of beautiful dreams!
No keeper was ever saving that screamer from outside the box. Micho handed Zulu a couple of Chipolopolo appearances.
If the match winner continues on the trajectory shown last Saturday, Zulu could get a call from new Chipolopolo 🇿🇲 coach, the Croatian Aljosa Asanovic.
- This is for you dear reader to fill in. I was looking for a direct winger in the final I never saw one. It was a tactical final where the use of the ball was economical. No time for showboating. Spain trialists the exciting teen Sabobo Banda came on but never dazzled.
Jimmy Mukeya is not a winger but came on and utilized the wide areas well and shot from range. But Zobrigo equally does not get in.
Perhaps, I would reserve this slot for Keagan Zulu. The only surviving member of the Stars side that won this competition then as Barclays Cup in 2012.
Zulu the sibling to FAZ Technical Director Lyson Zulu can boost of winning the cup twice just as his coach Mutapa can boost of winning it both as player and coach.
Coach of the final: Mutapa outthought his opposite number Chisi Mbewe and his elder brother Osward Mutapa, the Arrows technical advisor to take home from an ABSA Spark K25, 000.
Some wrote obituaries of the former Orlando Pirates star’s coaching career after severance of his Power Dynamos contract with some well documented spats with now Nkana forward Alex “Bazo” N’gonga.
If the Arthur Davies Stadium saga soil the CV of the “Principal” or “Bebeto” as Perry was called in his playing days, this Absa Cup scoop has restored it more than 100 per cent.
Leading an Eden University side to the Absa Cup heaven is an Hallelujah football moment!
Just glad we witnessed it and for me, I even sneaked in a photo with Baleli Ba Chisi Mr. Hichilema in what was really magnificent and memorable day!
