By Angela Bambala Bwalya
ZANACO FC head coach Numba Mumamba has urged his players to “redeem themselves” when they host Mines United in the MTN Super League on Saturday, as the Bankers look to halt a run of poor results.
Zanaco sit seventh on 42 points and come into the fixture on the back of a 2-0 defeat by league leaders Power Dynamos, a result that extended their winless streak in the league to three matches. Their struggles have been compounded by elimination from the Absa Cup at the quarter-final stage.
“It’s another important game for us after going through a difficult patch,” Mumamba said. “We’ve gone three league games without a win and also exited the Absa Cup. These are the kind of fixtures we must take seriously because we are expected to win.”
Despite the downturn in results, Mumamba believes performances have remained largely positive, with a lack of cutting edge in front of goal proving costly.
“We need to stamp our authority from the start and make sure we take our chances,” he said. “We’ve been creating opportunities consistently, but our finishing has let us down.”
With four matches now without victory in all competitions, the Zanaco coach views Saturday’s encounter as an opportunity to reset their push for a top-four finish.
“This is a chance for us to respond and collect maximum points. We need to start pushing again for a place in the top four,” he added.
Mumamba also underlined the importance of squad management amid a congested fixture schedule, with games coming both midweek and at weekends.
“This is something players must adapt to. It’s part of modern football,” he said. “As a technical bench, we have to rotate the squad to maintain energy levels and ensure performance.”
Bottom-placed Mines United, however, are not being taken lightly. They sit 18th with 15 points and are winless in 11 matches, but showed resilience in a narrow 1-0 defeat to Kabwe Warriors in their last outing.
“They are a determined side and have improved since the arrival of their coach,” Mumamba said. “We are expecting a tough game, but as a big team, we must assert ourselves early.”
With recent home results failing to meet expectations, Mumamba also called on supporters to rally behind the team at Sunset Stadium.
“We need our fans to come in numbers and support the players,” he said. “It’s been a while since they celebrated a home win, so this is an opportunity for us to make amends.”
Kick-off is at 15:00 local time in Lusaka.
