Sun, 15 Oct 2017 10:09:56 +0000
By GRACE CHAILE
LESOETSA
NAPSA Stars and Zanaco have stormed the prestigious 2017 Barclays Cup final after shutting down defending champions Zesco United and Lusaka Dynamos respectively in a semi-final double-header at Nkoloma Stadium yesterday.
Zesco lost 4-2 in post-match penalties to a seemingly underrated Napsa while Zanaco edged Dynamos 1-0.
After a tedious and goalless 90 minutes first semi-final, Napsa stars prevailed and kept alive the target of a second Barclays Cup title since 2012.
Alex Mwamba, Solomon Sakala, Austin Banda and Collins Sikombe converted their spot kicks apart from Dickson Chapa whose kick went over the bar.
Fackson Kampumbu and Maybin Kalengo denied Zesco the victory as they skied their spot kicks after well-taken penalties by Jesse Were and David Odhiambo.
Zesco fans, angered by the loss, called for the sacking of coach Zlatko Krmpotic.
Napsa coach Linos Makwaza said the team was determined to win the title.
Makwaza described the match as tough and commended his boys for not conceding in regulation time.
“We are ready to face any team in the final and our aim is to win the title at whatever cost. It was an uphill battle,” he said.
His counterpart, Krmpotic said his team did not have scoring chances.
In the other semi-final, Felix Nyaende’s 22nd minute goal was enough to earn Zanaco a 1-0 win over Dynamos.
Zanaco and Dynamos both came close in the first 10 minutes but there were few chances after that. Dynamos had its chances to level scores in second half but Fwayo Tembo and Aubrey Funga’s shots struck the far post. Mumamba Numba said Zanaco would prepare adequately for Napsa.
“Napsa is not a minnow so we will prepare adequately to grab the title,” Numba said.
The final is set for October 28 at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka. Winners of the 2017 edition will receive K350, 000 while runners-up will pocket K180, 000.
