Preliminary round draws for the 2007 Coca Cola Cup were made this afternoon in Lusaka by the tournament sponsors Zambian Breweries.
The highlight of the 1st round draws is the pairing of 2002 winners with Zesco United and Chambishi.
Chambishi beat Zesco 2-1 in the 2002 final to win the second edition of the Coca Cola Cup in a final played at Arthur Davies stadium in Kitwe.
Top-flight league leaders Zesco will travel to Chambishi for their Coca Cola Cup 1st round match.
“The Zesco United of today is different from the Zesco of that time (When we lost to Chambishi),” Zesco secretary Justin Mumba said after the draws were announced in Lusaka.
“We expect a tough game because we have never beaten Chambishi before.”
This will be Chambishi’s third appearance in the Coke after their 2002 triumph and 2004 1st round exit.
Zesco on the other hand return for a 4th outing after reaching the quarterfinals in 2005.
Meanwhile, defending champions Kabwe Warriors have a fairly easy away tie against Coca Cola Cup debutants Mining Rangers of Kitwe.
Record two-time champions Zanaco have a tricky Coke Cup derby away fixture against promotion chasers and 2001 quarterfinalist Nkwazi in the two sides first ever meeting in this competition.
The other interesting 1st round fixture will see division 1 south leaders Riflemen return to the Coca Cola Cup for the first time since 2001 when they host Konkola Blades.
Riflemen chairman and ex-Zambia international Thomas Bwalya described as a fair draw.
Elsewhere, Nkana are home and host Young Arrows, perennial Coke Cup campaigners Nchanga Rangers travel to Young Green Eagles, while Green Buffaloes visit Mazabuka United.
All first round matches will take place on August 11 with all games ending in draws decided on penalty shootouts after 90 minutes of play.
Semifinal dates and draws will be announced shortly by Faz.
Nkana are back in the elite league. No doubt about that. However, they need to convince everyone out there that they can take on teams in the super league “punch 4 punch”.
The coca cola cup will offer KALAMPA an opportunity to gauge themselves; to see how prepared they are for the super league because this will give them an opportunity to meet teams in the FAZ premier league.
It is just sad that Nkana will be playing all their ‘home’ games ‘away from home’. However, this is the time to rise to the ocassion and prove the critics (including FAZ) wrong!
Nkana is the best team pa Z after all!!!
Viva Nkana
Viva Kalampa
Viva pa Chilata
Nkana: wela weka weka!!
Nkana is the only team in Zambia with a good record other than the demotion to Division 1.
nkana kalampa are coming to super divison with full force to reclaim their position in football nkana kalampa supportor 4 life.