Week 7 is upon us in the Zambian Super League and before the balls are kicked, the tackles are executed and the goals scored we look forward to the match between the 5th placed Sharp Konkola Blades who play host to a struggling Kabwe Warriors who are already playing catch up right at the thick of the relegation battle at 18th position.
FORM GUIDE
On form Kabwe Warriors will be looking to change the narrative of having drawn 4 games in 6 and lost the other two. Horrible form since the major departures of Godfrey Ngwenya to Power Dynamos, Dick Ngwenya to the Elite Lusaka Dynamos and Marcel Kalonda to Zesco United.
To put this further in perspective and jolt the memory, the Warriors have played their last 6 games against Forest Rangers, Green Eagles, Red Arrows, Buildcon, Nkwazi and Mufulira Wanderers and have only picked up 4 points in what can be termed more even encounters which could be the case this weekend again.
Konkola Blades dubbed ‘sharp razor’ have been fairly competitive, having won 3, drawn one and lost a couple in their run to the current position on the log. Hopefully for the sharp Razor faithful this is the game to get that winning run on and make it back to back wins and possibly climb up a place on the super League log.
During the first six encounters sharp Konkola blades lost to Zanaco at home, beat Green Buffalos at home, beat City of Lusaka Away, lost to Zesco United Away, beat real Nakonde at home and had a stalemate away with Lumwana Radiants the table toppers.
HEAD TO HEAD RECORDS
In the last 7 encounters, there have been 6 wins all going towards the home team and one away win for the warriors back in May 2011 and the stalemate taking us all the way back to August 2010.
In the 7 game run, Warriors have been the superior having gotten the better of Blades 4 times, one of which was at the home of Konkola Blades.
Konkola Blades have won a pair of the 7 encounters both being at home so if there was ever a beckoning chance to tilt the history a tad in their direction this will be it.
BY THE NUMBERS
5TH – The position of Konkola Blades before week 7 fixtures
18th – The position of Kabwe Warriors before the Week 7 fixtures
6 – Matches played by both teams thus far
5 – Goals each of these teams has scored prior to this encounter
7 – Goals conceded by Kabwe Warriors
6 – Goals Conceded by Konkola Blades
2 – Losses suffered by both teams
2 Clean Sheets kept at home by Konkola in their 3 homes games
0 – Clean Sheets at away from home for Kabwe Warriors
2 – Goals Scored by Kabwe Warriors in their 3 away games.
2 – Goals Conceded in 3 home games by Konkola Blades
2 – Goals Scored conceded away from home by Kabwe Warriors
2 – Goals Scored at from home in 3 games By Konkola Blades.
So by the numbers a bookie’s best bet will be a draw either goalless or a 1 all affair with the next best option being a narrow 1 goal win by Konkola Blades owing to the form.
A Historian will however tell you that the Warriors stand a fair chance to win the encounter ignoring form.
Warriors have so far lost a lot of winnable games. Ngoko ikakosela?
Unless things change, and change quickly, this surely looks like a season to prepare playing in lower rungs next season.