Stumbling Zesco seek to get back to winning ways

Zesco United will fancy their chances of getting back to winning ways when they host strugglers Kabwe YSA in the Zambia Super League at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Saturday.

Zesco started the campaign with nine consecutive victories and looked to be running away with the title, but have stumbled in recent weeks, having taken just a single point from the last six available.

That has allowed the chasing pack to close in, with Napsa Stars drawing level on 28 points, though they have played two games more.

Zesco and Kabwe met twice in the 2018 season, with the former winning both games, though not without a fight.

And Kabwe will be on something of a high after they claimed just a second victory of the campaign last time out as Daniel Chama scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Kansanshi Dynamos, though they remain in the relegation places.

Napsa host mid-table Lumwana Radiants as they look to keep up the heat on the leaders, and have a dominant record over their opponents, having lost only one of the previous eight meetings, which came back in 2016.

Third-place Red Arrows are three points behind the leaders, having played two games more, and host Buildcon in a tricky home match.

Arrows have been sharp on their own patch this season though with five wins from six games and will be favourites.

Nkana in fourth are on an excellent run of form after beating Zesco last time out, and have now taken 16 from the last 18 points available.

It has seen them thrust into the title race as they travel to Power Dynamos on Sunday, who themselves are back in form with three wins in a row after the arrival of new coach Perry Mutapa.

Amazingly, matches between these two have been won by the away side in five of the last six meetings, with the other one drawn. The last home win was for Dynamos in 2016.

Green Eagles are another side in good form as they host struggling Nkwazi, who are without a win in their last nine matches, and incredibly have not scored a single goal in their last eight games – or 12 hours of football.

In other matches on Saturday, Green Buffaloes host second-from-bottom Nakambala Leopards, while basement boys Mufulira Wanderers entertain surprise strugglers Zanaco.

Lusaka Dynamos welcome Forest Rangers and Kabwe Warriors travel to Kansanshi Dynamos.