Kansanshi Dynamos Hold Firm to Complete Nchanga Double
Kansanshi Dynamos completed a league double over Nchanga Rangers with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in today’s Week 28 MTN Super League encounter.
It was an electric contest in Chingola, with Kansanshi Dynamos taking control early and holding firm despite late pressure from the hosts.
Kansanshi showed early intent in the 7th minute, winning a free kick in a promising area, but the opportunity was not capitalised on. Nchanga responded in the 13th minute with a big chance of their own, but resolute defending saw efforts blocked by Bokadila and Mutambo.
Kalonji Mwepu looked lively and nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute after getting past the Nchanga defence, but his effort was saved, with the assistant referee flagging for offside. Moments later, Nchanga threatened again, but Gwazani Banda was equal to the task.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Beby Musangala calmly finished to give Kansanshi Dynamos the lead, following a well-worked move assisted by Kizito Keziron.
Kansanshi maintained the advantage heading into the break, despite late first-half pressure, including another offside call denying Mwepu.
After the restart, Nchanga pushed for an equaliser. Davie Zulu came close in the 54th minute, but his header was comfortably saved by Gwazani, who continued to impress and produced another excellent stop in the 57th minute.
Kansanshi Dynamos doubled the lead in the 62nd minute through Kalonji Mwepu, who found the back of the net to silence the home crowd. The goal, assisted by Francisco Madinga, sparked frustration among the home supporters.
Changes followed in the 71st minute, with Bokadila forced off due to injury and replaced by Mike Zozi, while Julius Mwanza came on for Kizito Keziron.
Nchanga nearly pulled one back in the 78th minute when Stephen Chulu’s powerful header struck the post, keeping Kansanshi’s lead intact.
Further changes saw goalkeeper Gwazani Banda forced off in the 87th minute, with Gregory Sanjase coming on.
The hosts eventually found a consolation deep into stoppage time, as Davie Zulu scored in the 90+6th minute.
Despite the late goal, Kansanshi Dynamos held on to secure an important away victory and complete the double over Nchanga Rangers.
POST-MATCH REACTION | Assistant Coach Dennise Makinka
Assistant Coach Dennise Makinka praised the team’s effort and highlighted the importance of consistency as the season progresses.
“First of all, kudos to the boys. They are really working hard. You see them in training, and you can tell they are giving everything. The points are very close on the table, so we need to pick every point possible. This victory is a morale booster for us going into the next game.”
“Nchanga Rangers gave us a tough game. They are a very difficult team to play against at home, especially with their supporters behind them. Congratulations to the boys, they’ve done us proud.”
“I think it gives us an edge. When you start performing well against teams that are better placed than you, it shows progress. We challenged the boys this week, we asked them, ‘Are we all not in Zambia?’ So why should we only win at home? Today they played with confidence, like they were at home. This should be our turning point.”
“We have a big squad. We’ll assess the injuries, but we have enough players to step in. We go back, prepare, and focus on the next game.”
