Rainford Kalaba’s 8-week long goodbye to the Zambian league began on a high on Wednesday during Zesco United’s midweek fixture away to Green Buffaloes at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.
Barring an away cup tie for Zesco over the coming 2 months before leaving Zambia to begin a 5-year deal with Portuguese Superliga team Sporting Braga, this could be the last time Kalaba will grace Woodlands before he departs for Europe in early June.
Kalaba scored his first goal of the season there on Wednesday in Zesco’s 2-0 win over hosts Buffaloes in his first return to competitive action since March 15.
This follows Kalaba’s recovery from a one-month long injury spell and comes just five days after returning from Braga where he wrapped up his long-term deal with the Portuguese club.
The modest crowd that skipped their midweek business engagements to witness Kalaba’s return, who last season inspired Zesco with his 13 top-flight goals to their debut league title, had to wait for 53 minutes before the talented 21-year-old midfielder came on.
Zesco coach Wedson Nyirenda had resisted starting Kalaba in preference to winger Yona Mwango who has continued to disappoint after two successive good seasons with the Ndola club.
The defending league champions were flat before Kalaba replaced Mwango especially in the first half that Buffaloes dominated in one of the army men’s best performances so far this season.
Again, a lack of urgency and verve let Buffaloes down and George Lwandamina’s men were made to pay the price in the second half before stumbling to a 2-0 loss-their second consecutive defeat at their adopted home ground at Woodlands.
Kalaba’s arrival just before the hour mark changed until then lethargic Zesco disposition and served as cue for the Ndola club to step into gear with a swagger.
The Zambia international midfielder kept everything simple with a one-touch of the ball and quick pass to his team mates as he gradually felt his way back into the game.
However, Kalaba was not at the centre of Zesco’s opener just 3 minutes after coming on that was scored by Nicholas Zulu who powered in a headed-in ball from an Allen Chibwe cross delivered from the far left as the visitors began to dominate Buffaloes from then on.
Kalaba literally left the best for last when he scored Zesco’s second with a touch of class just 3 minutes remaining on the clock when he lost his marker inside the 6-yard box to flick the ball into the net with a cheeky back-heel.
His performance was reminiscent of his first match back for his ex-club Afrisports om May 21, 2006 after returning from an unsuccessful brief spell a French Ligue 1 side Nice.
Kalaba came on as a substitute in the match against –again kept everything simple- before scoring a stunning free-kick to see Afrisports win 3-0 at home over Ndola United in a week 10 division 1 north game.
On that Sunday afternoon 2 years ago a Mapili Grounds in Kitwe, Kalaba was mobbed at the end of the match with his adoring children fans shouting “Mumpa, Mumpa” (His ethnic first name) and he had to be bundled into a waiting car that drove out at snails pace to avoid any accident.
However, on Wednesday at Woodlands, it was the press and half a dozen fans who lay quietly in wait for him outside Zesco’s dressing room at the end of the game.
His Zesco team mate and coaches were made to wait patiently for over 20 minutes in the team bus as Kalaba gave an impromptu post-match press meeting outside the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Zesco are top of the table after their midweek win over Buffaloes in the delayed week 2 fixture thanks to Zulu and Kalaba’s goals and are joint on 7 points with 6 other teams but enjoying a better goal difference.
This Saturday, Zesco face Kalaba’s favorite team Power Dynamos at Garden Park in Kitwe.
An almost sellout crowd at Garden Park is surely expected as the Kalaba farewell road show begins to make its way towards curtain-call in June.
FAZ PREMIER LEAGUE DELAYED WEEK 2
16/04/2008
Green Buffaloes 0- Zesco United 2(Nicholas Zulu 53″, Rainford Kalaba 87″)
Young Arrows- Zanaco (PP)
After games Played 16/04/2008
LEAGUE, INTL & CUP:
Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors): 4
Nicholas Zulu (Zesco United): 3
Reuben Tembo (Green Buffaloes):3
Morgan Hanjeema (Green Buffalkoes): 3
Simon Bwalya (Power Dynamos): 2
Francis Kombe (Power Dynamos): 2
Lottie Phiri (Zesco United): 2
Mathew Macha (Nchanga Rangers): 2
Sebastian Mwansa (Green Buffaloes): 2
William Njobvu (Lusaka Dynamos): 2
Wilson Mutupa (Green Buffaloes): 2
good luck kalaba, hope u wont be in the reserves
Just come from todays game between FC MidtJylland and Katongo’s Brondby (BIF), free tickets plus meals before the game. After watching Chris today, I could see he has matured as a player. He understands the tacitical aspect of the European game and aderes to instructions while at the same time he exibits his natural talent of scoring goals. He scored the first goal and I was proud, I have no doubt that he is Zambias striker number one (1), harding working, passing the ball second to none, committed, I can not find words to describe him. Katonga has to play in front for Zambia the big question is who is gonna partner him. I am for Felix Sunzu, I think Felix has what it takes
go go Kalaba – Mumpa.
Mwaice not ukuya ina ubupuba. Good luck on the way.
Mwaice not ukuya ina ubupuba. Good luck all the way.
Mupa,ulikakali mwaice…i remember in 2006 watched the game they have narrated against Ndola United,it was quite a spectacle! remember to remain discplined, one of the keys to sucess…
noti ukaya nwa na maaccidents mwaiche, settle in and do your thing young
man
# 2 Justice, wellcome back. I missed you contributions. I have read about katongo even in RSA press, they are saying katongo has continued harrassin the defenders in Denmark. I have read about that story too. In zambia there is abundant talent and Ihope with the comin in of Kalu, things will look up. There is one Rodgers Kola, am sure very soon, he will replace Mbesuma. Read on Zanco vs Nchanga story. The boy made Elija Tana kuwona matako yansoka. He was too good for Tana. Remember Zanaco has a lot of upcomoing players – Ignatius Lwipa, Kola, Chisamba Lungu, Stophira Nsunzu, luka tembo, hey o much talent.
Lets wait for the new coach to come in, am sure whereever he is, is busy studtng zambian players abroad.
Lets wait for the new coach to come in, am sure whereever he is, is busy studtng zambian players abroad. with the way Katngo is playing, is he likely to end up as one of the top scorers?
#8 Read in wwwdotzambianfootballdotcom.
Hot News: Bayern and Arsenal eye Katongo
search for Katongo on YouTube you will see how the Brondby fans adore him… they even have a song for him. He is a crowd pleaser, he has a routine when he warms up that gets the crowd involved
#13 Stretch, look closely, there are two clips with song, in one you will see Zambia’s flag flying.
Mbesuma will be back.
#8 Chips I am back and thank you very much for the welcome. I will be there for Zed soccer, always defeat, Win or draw, Zambia is in my blood. I would every time want my country to go a step forward. I just LOVE everything about Zambia, Zed Chipolopolo, one day we will strike, Cheers Chips and keep up with your contributions
Yes Mbesuma will be back. He is not yet done with banging them goals. He has been to appear finished by the Zambian scourge (Bring him down syndrome).All the best to Kalaba.I have no doubts he will make it.He is one of the most disciplined Zambian players as far as I know through personal interaction with him on a number of occassions but our scourge (Bring him down)has made him to look a devil that he is not.THANK YOU YOUNG MAN FOR SHAMING THE CRITICS AND FOR MAKKING THOSE OF US WHO BELIEVE IN YOU PROUND.NOW GO OUT THERE AND SHOW THEM WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF.No amount of bring him down dosage shall deter you from accomplishing you goal of playing UEFA CL football. Not even the skyis the limit.
# 12 are you serious or you are jocking. Give us the link for that story.
# 12 I’m also curious about the Arsenal/Bayern interest in the Staff Sergeant. I’ve scoured the web and can’t find anything.
#14 seen from afar. I saw the flag, i was very proud to be zambian at that moment. Let him keep up the good work, he will move to a more challenging european league. The guy is amazing off the ball making clever runs. he has the discipline, natural talent and intelligence to make it big!
Guys it’s good to keep you morale up by overpraising players like kalaba and others but you have to understand that currently zambian soccer has nothing to show. at club level zambian clubs are going nowhere in continental championships and the chipolopolo like the bafana bafana are no longer among the best in africa and I am sorry to remind you that zambia can be better only against minnows like botswana cape verde, lesotho, seychelles… Great Kalu era is gone. With no players in clubs like Arsenal, Barcelona, … what are you bosting of?
i believe the current best zambian player is katongo who plays for brondy. I am just sorry he did not belong to the genius of the kalusha bwalya, derby makinka, charles musonda, easton mulenga generation. That generation plus katongo, we could have won the africa cup and qualify to the world cup. I rate him even higher than the excellent late kelvin mutale
Why don’t you want to acknowledge that zambian soccer is at it’s lowest level ever? Since the air disaster in gabon and the retirement of great kalu we are not better than tanzania and mozambique
Dodson #20,I haven’t seen anybody praise Kalaba but wish him luck and others are advising him to keep discipline.Maybe the only guy i have seen bieng prasised is Chris who i think has been doing well and he is head above other players in our current team.
Whiles i agree with you that our standard of the game has gone down.Our clubs can’t compete in Africa.But at National level the future is promising if we nature the up coming talent that we have especially from the U20’s that played at the World Cup.Those boys beat a star studded Cameroon with Alexandra B.Song in the team,beat Egypt,Uruguay and narrowly lost to Spain.Of course we would need atleast 2 or 3 players playing at the highest
level.The rest can play for ordinary European teams.Look at the past team we had only Kalu and Charles playing at the highest level then the S.Nyirendas,Msiskas,Mankikas playing for ordinary clubs in Belgium and S.Arabia.My only worry as some guys have said on this blog is we don’t seem to have any defenders who can break into Europe.Lets not lose hope,with time we can get back to our best though it wont happen in a year or two. I think Youth football and a well organised and competitive local league is the way forward.
bayern munich eye katongo as well since his in the German leageue already plus Arsenge Wenger said on Arsenal TV that Zambian football is upcoming with Mbesuma playing For Portsmouth!!