10 years after lifting their second-ever league title, Nchanga Rangers find themselves relegated for the first time in their history.
It is hard to imagine that a team that in less than a decade ago exported two players to the German Bundesliga namely Bayern Munich (Andrew Sinkala) and FC Koln (Moses Sichone) in 1999 but failed to build on that bounty and hold their own.
Further sales of Elijah Tana to super-rich Angolan side Petro Athletico in 2003 didn’t change the scene or the business mode at the club.
There quick decline amidst plenty is baffling but old order from the Copperbelt are all struggling economically to stay alive.
Mufulira Wanderers went down in 2002 and two years later Nkana followed and both clubs are now established members of the local yo-yo club.
Konkola Blades have managed to hold their own since bouncing back two seasons ago after going down in 2004 for the last three seasons but this season struggled together with Roan United to survive leaving it until the last stretch.
Yes, the fall of ZCCM has affected most mining-based teams well-being and in some cases existence as is the case with one former Midlands giant Zamsure who have even fallen further down to division 3 amateur.
Things are not going to get better but the clubs need to change with the times their management philosophies.
The Copprbelt teams enjoyed vast amounts of money from ZCCM but did not heed to the call to transform themselves into viable self-sustaining clubs.
Power Dynamos, now the only side never to be demoted, is now the last man standing but has survived the Copperbelt football recession thanks to continued sponsorship from CEC and enjoys top -8 status each season.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the gloom and inconsistency, one Copperbelt team Zesco United is in rude health- again duly thanks to their mother company and state power utility from whom they borrow their name.
Zesco have just retained their second successive league title just four years after being promoted.
However, that is not a consolation because for the first time ever, only two Copperbelt teams this year finished in the top- 8 with Zesco and Power who finished 1st and 5th respectively.
The only comfort the Copperbelt clubs can take is that for the first time ever, no midlands club got promoted with the two promotion slots from division 1 south taken up instead by Choma Eagles and Nakambala Leopards -both of Southern Province.
ZAMBIA’S CECAFA DRAWS
Zambia have drawn in Group B at the Uganda 2008 Cecafa Challenge Cup together with defending champions Sudan including Kenya, Burundi & Djibouti.
And Group A includes 2007 runners-up Rwanda, hosts Uganda, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Somalia.
Zambia play Djibouti in opening Group B Cecafa Challenge Cup match on Dec 31 in Junja at 12:30.
The 2006 Cecafa champions will face Kenya in their second Group B game on January 2 at 15:00 before facing Burundi in their penultimate pool game two days later on January 4th at the same time and venue.
Zambia will wrap-up their Group B matches on January 8 against Sudan at Nakivubo.
The semifinals will be played on January 11 with the 3rd and 4th place playoffs including finals to follow on the 13th.
Faz Premier League
Week 30
17/12/2008
Konkola Blades 1(Visto Kasongo 5″)- Zesco United 0
Roan United 1(Kelvin Mumba 27″)- Nchanga Rangers 2(Boyd Chanda 44″, Kelvin Mwelwa 76″)
Nkwazi 1(Gibson Banda 56″)-Green Buffaloes 2(Lawrence Phiri 51″ pen, Sebastain Mwansa 88″)
Chambishi 2(Sanida Zulu 41″, Venacious Mapande 44″)- City of Lusaka 1(Kennedy Chola 62″)
Zanaco 1(Given Singuluma) -Kabwe Warriors 0
Green Eagles 3(Shemu Kamanga, Martin Njovu, Tresford Mhango)-Lusaka Dynamos 1(Stanley Nshimbi)
Red Arrows 3(Aggripa Mbewe 37″, Macha Namez 69″ 76″)-Power Dynamos 0
Nkana 2(Maxwell Phiri 10″, Allen Mukuka 72″)-Young Arrows 1(Chiwanki Liyainga 62″)
Week 25
14/12/2008
Zesco United 0-Lusaka Dynamos 0
After games Played 17/12/2008
LEAGUE, INTL & CUP:
Roger Kola (Zanaco): 13
Emmanuel Mayuka (Kabwe Warriors): 12
Aubrey Zulu (Green Eagles): 12
Simon Bwalya (Power Dynamos): 9
Francis Kombe (Power Dynamos): 9
Mathew Macha (Nchanga Rangers): 9
Timothy Mbewe (Red Arrows): 8
Elson Mkandawire (Power Dynamos): 8
Chomba Ng’andwe (Young Arrows): 8
Kruger Mwansa (Young Arrows) : 8
Kelvin Mumba (Roan United): 7
Brian Chilando (Green Buffaloes): 7
Nicholas Zulu (Zesco United): 7
Jonah Sakuwaha (Zesco United): 7
Reuben Tembo (Green Buffaloes):7
Sebastian Mwansa (Green Buffaloes): 6
Lawrence Phiri (Green Buffaloes): 6
Given Singuluma (Zanaco): 6
William Njobvu (Lusaka Dynamos): 6
Morgan Hanjeema (Green Buffaloes): 6
Judge Mkandawire (Young Arrows): 6
Dan Sibanda (Red Arrows): 6
Patrick Kabamba (Nkana): 6
Chipulu Chileya (Konkola Blades): 6
Namez Macha (Red Arrows): 5
Shemu Kamanga (Green Eagles): 5
Chiwanki Liyianga (Young Arrows): 5
Winston Kalengo (Zanaco): 5
Enoch Sakala (Zesco United): 5
Chisi Mbewe (Red Arrows): 5
Chileshe Kabwe (Konkola Blades): 5
Lottie Phiri (Zesco United): 5
FIRST!!!
second
Third:d
ok
These guys Sinkala & Sichone, they don’t even come to Zambian parties here. I’ve never seen them before. Kula ba belenga fye muma paper…
THE ZAMBIA LEAGUE HAS BEEN RUBISH CHECK OUT THIS LIST OF TOP SCORES IN ZEB AFTER THE END SEASON.
RODGER KOLA 13
MAYUKA 12
WER AR THE OTHER CHAPS U EVEN FAIL TO BIT A CHAP LIKE MAYUKA WHO IS NOT AROUND COME ZAMBIA TOP MEN……….. AND U THINK THE COACH WILL LIFT THE ZAMBIA FLAG HIGH WITH THESE PLAYERS. KOLA PLAYED 30 GAMES SCORED 14
LOOK AT THE ENGLISH LEAGUE PLAYED 17 GAMES
TOP SCORES
NICOLAS ANELKA 14
GABRIEL AGBONLAHO 9
CRISTIANO RONALDO 8
ROBINHO 8
THE HAV’T EVEN STARTED RETURN GAMES YET.
AM NOT A FUN OF ENGLISH FOOTBALL BUT LOOKING AT THE GOALS THE HAV SCORED IT SHUD BE INTERESTING
ZAMBIA LEAGUE PLIZ IMPROVE I REMEMBER WEN ZAMTEL WAS IN DIVISION 1 JONAS SAKUWAHA SCORED 23 GOALS THEN THE FOLL’G YEAR KCM BROT IN THE TOP SCORES PRIZE.
NO ONE DESERVE THAT 10MILLION TOP SCORES PRIZE WITH THOSE LITTLE GOALS OVER AND OUT
No motivation in zambian game, thats why teams dont have stable sponserers coz they fear to loose there investment in such unstable teams, ninsala i lenga fwonse ifyo.8-}
Abena Mwine and AK 47 there are just no proper strikers in the league. Hunger and AIDS have taken their toll. Add to that lack of sponsorship at the grassroots after the demise of the parastatals and this is the end result.
VERY DISAPONTING SITUATION ON THE COPPERBELT, FAZ WERE ARE YOU ESPECIALLY KALUSHA, FOR ONCE REMEMBER “”NI WE MWANA SHI-MINE”” LOOK AT THE STANDARDS OF FOOTBALL ON THE COPPERBELT, CAN YOU USE YOUR INFLUENCE LET THIS MOPANE LEAVE NKANA FC AND MIGHTY FC TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN BUY THESE TEAMS AND BRING SANITY, WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS FAZ PRESIDENT, IS IT NOT PART OF YOUR PROMISES THAT YOU ENSURE SOCER STANDARDS ARE BROUGHT TO SPEC??? IF YOU DONT’T GET THIS ADVICE YOU WILL FAIL LIKE FAILED US IN COACHING!!!!!!!!!! THIS YEAR IT’S NCHANGA, VERY SOON POWER WILL FOLLOW SUIT, BY THE WAY BA KALU DO YOU EVEN VISIT THE COPERBELT TO CHECK. WHAT A COUNTRY, BA ZESCO TO BE CHAMPIONS FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE SEASON
10 Bomba, my sentiments exactly! We have very strange teams at the top of the league nowadays
I am a loyal Brave Nchanga Rangers supporter who is so suddened to learn about my teams fate.I wish to positively direct my anger towards something constructive such as;
1.Govt must deliberately attract local and foreign investment in sport the way they`ve done in mining for example.The govt needs to give tax breaks to individuals or companies that are willing to resuscitate the number 1 sport.
2.Faz must spearhead aggressive marketing to get crowds back to watch the local league.It is embarrassing to see how popular the EPL is,at the expense of our local leagues.A good example is what Anthony Mwamba and NMC have done for boxing.
20 goals should be a minimum for good strikers or do we now have more balanced teams? Highly unlikely.
SHARP RAZOR FOR LIFE.
Mbesuma is back……,just read he had scored two for hie teams 3.0 win recently.
what A LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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