Muza hold Zanaco 

…as Power and Prison Leopards share the spoils 

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

 A SECOND half goal from a penalty rescued the CAF Confederations Cup envoys Muza FC who started the new MTN/FAZ Super League with a stalemate.

Muza had to come from behind to hold Sensational Zanaco 1-1 thanks to Andrew Phiri’s goal from a penalty in a rescheduled Week-1 fixture played at Nakambala Stadium in Mazabuka yesterday. 

The second goal of the season conceded from a penalty disappointed Zanaco FC assistant coach Henry Banda who questioned the officiating.

“Our players are disciplined, they play according to the rules only that they have been given cheap penalties against us which is not fair. Let’s play games fairly. Whatever team that comes here lets us play fairly. Fair play is what we are crying for. Each team which plays Muza here they cry foul, all the time we have penalties here which is not good,” Banda said after the final whistle.

“We came here to get maximum points and it is a disappointing result because we started very well and scored a goal which was good for us and we didn’t just defend properly in the second half but the overall performance of the boys I think they played well,” Banda said after the match.

Asked about his assessment of how the Bankers have started the new season, Banda said; “We have started very well. It’s a new team and we have young boys and there is progress each and every player has done well and they understand what we want, the philosophy of the team so we have started well.”

Zanaco, who started the new campaign with a 1-1 draw with Forest Rangers last weekend, had started the game in Mazabuka on a high but it was the home team which created dangerous chances with the first one coming in the 20th minute.

Emmanuel Manda made a run beating his marker before splitting a pass to Andrew Phiri who tried his luck with a shot which went wide.

Phiri led another counter attack seven minutes after the half hour mark when he picked Manda who failed to make it count.

Five minutes before the break, Chawanangwa Kaonga stunned the hosts with a beautiful strike to give Sensational Zanaco the lead.

Muza had to wait until the hour mark to grab the equaliser through Phiri who made no mistake in converting a penalty won after winger Bobo Angwenga was brought down in the box by a Zanaco defender.

A point away from home propelled the Bankers to ninth on the Super League table with two points while MUZA moved to 13th after picking their first point of the season. 

Meanwhile, defending champions Power Dynamos began their title defence with a goalless draw against Prison Leopards in a rescheduled Week-one fixture played at President Stadium in Kabwe.

The CAF Champions League envoys created numerous chances which could have buried the game but were unlucky as goal keeper Jeff Lungu produced some excellent saves as Prison Leopards picked their second point of the season after holding Zesco United to a 1-1 stalemate last weekend.

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