Stuttering champs Nkana FC braced for Zanaco test

Defending champions Nkana FC take their stuttering Zambia Super League recent record to second-placed Zanaco on Saturday, desperate to avoid a fourth straight defeat as they flounder in the relegation zone.

Unless they claim victory, it will be the worst run of form for Nkana in the Super League since July 2010, when they took only one point from 15 available during a sticky spell more than a decade ago.

By contrast, title contenders Zanaco are on an eight-game unbeaten run (W5 D3), and have not lost any of their last 18 home league games (W14 D4).

The teams played to a 1-1 draw earlier in the campaign, while the previous 22 clashes have produced an even record, eight wins each and six draws. At Zanaco, the home team lead the head-to-head 4-2 with two draws.

Zanaco will go top of the league, for 24 hours at least, with a draw, while victory could take Nkana as high as 12th.

In other matches on Saturday, bottom side Kitwe United will go in search of their first win of the season, at the 21st attempt, when they host Green Eagles, while Green Buffaloes can move further away from the drop-zone with a win at home to Nkwazi.

There will be five games on Sunday, including a trip for current leaders Zesco United to Kabwe Warriors, a tough away day against a side who still have title aspirations of their own.

Zesco are currently six points ahead of Warriors, who will be keen to cut that to just three with a home win. Their form at the Godfrey Chitalu Stadium has been patchy though, they have three wins, three draws and three defeats so far this campaign.

Warriors season has really been boosted by their away form, though they are unbeaten in eight (W4 D4) home and away.Zesco are on a four-game winning run, during which time they have managed to score 12 goals and conceded only three. They have not won on any of their last six visits to Warriors, since a 1-0 away victory in 2013.

Third-place Forest Rangers will host Young Green Eagles after the latter picked up just a fourth win of the season in midweek with a surprise 3-1 success over NAPSA Stars. The teams played to a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture on 11 November.

Power Dynamos host a resurgent Red Arrows, who are seeking to make it four straight Super League wins, while Lumwana Radiants host Lusaka Dynamos.

Prison Leopards meet Indeni in a battle between two sides who won promotion to the top-flight at the end of last season, with the latter needing points to secure their stay in the division in the next campaign.