Nkana beat third placed Eagles 1-0 via a Festus Mbewe 14th minute goal to end the visitors 17-match unbeaten run.
The Kitwe giants move to 72 points and need one more win in their penultimate league game of the season to clinch second place and join 2018 champions Zesco United in the 2018/2019 CAF Champions League.
Eagles stay third on 68 points tied with Green Buffaloes who also lost today across the road at Arthur Davies Stadium where sixth placed Power beat them 2-1.
Chipili Mungule put Buffaloes ahead in the 20th minute but Power hit back through an Alex Ngonga brace in the 45th and 47th minutes.
Buffaloes and Eagles will play in the 2018 CAF Confederation Cup for finishing in the third and fourth bracket.
Fifth placed Zanaco kept their slim top four hopes alive following a 2-2 home draw at Sunset Stadium in their Lusaka derby against Red Arrows.
Tafadzwa Ruskie and Ernest Mbewe scored in the 4th and 21st minutes respectively but mid-table Arrows hit back through Josphat Kasusu in the 71st minute and Jimmy Chisenga in the 78th minute.
Zanaco have 64 points after the draw against mid-table Arrows.
“If HH had been coach of Eagles, Eagles could have beaten Nkana, 10-0,” Larry Mweetwa.
Which 10-0? How can a political failure claim such impossibilities.? Losing every election he has contested
Two 1diots Sharon and shu shu. Bayinenu ifichiyoooooo
It is in the dung brain! HaKabuke Hadung. Mad Cow Disease.