ZANACO FC assistant coach Noel Mwandila has challenged his players to give everything from the first whistle to the last when they host unbeaten FC MUZA in a Week Seven MTN Super League encounter at Sunset Stadium on Wednesday.
The Bankers welcome the Mazabuka-based outfit in a 15:00 kick-off, with both sides separated by just one point in the standings, making the encounter an important early-season test.
Zanaco head into the fixture on the back of an impressive 3-2 away victory over Trident FC in Kalumbila, a result that extended their winning run to two matches following their earlier triumph over Kansanshi Dynamos.
The Lusaka outfit have collected 10 points from their opening five matches, recording three wins, one draw and one defeat to occupy third position on the league table, one point behind second-placed MUZA.
However, Mwandila admits that the short turnaround between fixtures has presented a challenge for the technical bench, with the team only returning from Kalumbila on Sunday following Saturday’s assignment against Trident.
Monday was largely dedicated to player recovery and psychological preparation, leaving the technical bench with limited time to work on tactical details ahead of Wednesday’s encounter.
“We haven’t done much because we only had one day of preparation. Today, we will just touch on one or two tactical aspects and then we will be ready for the game tomorrow,” Mwandila said.
The assistant coach welcomed the team’s return to winning ways, describing the back-to-back victories as an important step towards building consistency.
However, he warned his players against complacency, stressing that MUZA will provide a different level of challenge.
MUZA have made an impressive start to the transitional season, remaining unbeaten after five matches, with three wins and two draws.
Their defensive organisation has been particularly impressive, having conceded just twice while scoring seven goals, a record that has helped them climb to second position with 11 points.
Mwandila acknowledges the quality of the opposition and expects a demanding encounter against a side that has yet to taste defeat.
“MUZA have been doing well this season. They haven’t lost any game, although they have drawn. It’s going to be an interesting encounter because it’s always tough when we play them,” he said.
Despite the challenge, Mwandila believes Zanaco have the confidence and quality to compete for maximum points, but insists consistency will be key to maintaining their momentum.
“We have the confidence going into this game and the impetus of pushing for maximum points. Definitely, we are looking at consistency. We need to remain on a winning trajectory, but for us to achieve that against MUZA, it won’t be easy.”
The Bankers will also be seeking to improve their recent head-to-head record against MUZA, having managed just one victory, four draws and suffered three defeats in their last eight meetings, according to the pre-match record.
With just a point separating the two sides, victory would see Zanaco leapfrog MUZA and strengthen their position among the early pace-setters.
Mwandila says the objective is to maintain their winning momentum and head into the international break on a positive note.
“We want to go into the break with a positive result, which is a win,” he added.
Wednesday’s meeting promises to be a competitive encounter, with both sides looking to strengthen their positions near the top of the table.
