Forest Rangers will be hoping to end the 2022-2023 Super League season with silverware as they take on MUZA in the final of the Absa Cup at Woodlands Stadium on Saturday.
With the league championship snapped up by Power Dynamos and the second place gone to MUZA, Forest only have the Absa Cup remaining to end the season with smiles.
They are up against a rejuvenated Mazabuka side which has had a near perfect season.
In fact, Forest lost the two duels in the league to MUZA making the final tricky.
But Forest coach Ian Bakala said at a media briefing today that the two losses were history and will not count in the Absa Cup final.
“We have lost twice. Tomorrow (Saturday) will be a different ball game. My players have the hunger, they want to win this cup. Confidence is high in camp,” Bakala said.
He admitted that MUZA is not a walkover.
“They have played well this season,” Bakala said
He said his players will apply themselves to their maximum to grab the country’s only silverware.
Team captain Cedric Djeugoue said they are happy to be in the final.
“We want to achieve something. It is not going to be easy but we are going to win,” Djeugoue said.
MUZA assistant coach Cosma Mujika said winning the Absa Cup will mean a lot because they will become the first team from Southern Province to win it.
“Expectations in camp are very high. We want to win it (the Absa Cup). It has been our priority from day one,” Mujika said.
MUZA captain Kelvin Mwanza said his charges are ready.
“Tomorrow, we will make sure we deliver,” Mwanza said.
Forest booked their way to the final after nudging Power 1-0 while MUZA edged out Trident by a facsimile result.
Absa Bank Plc has staked K4. 4 million in the tournament, with the winner getting K700,000 while the runners-up will receive K300,000.
Additional incentives include the coach-of-year, player-of-the-tournament and man-of-match awards worth K25,000 each.
Absa and the Football Association of Zambia introduced two new incentives: the top scorer and the golden boot, with the winners pocketing K25,000 each.
