BLAME GAME MARS LEAGUE

SUN SPORTS writes@SunZambianWEEK Two of the 2020/21 FAZ/MTN Super League has seen underdogs torment premier teams with tempers flying and fingers pointing as the fight for the top gets harder.Green Eagles punished Zanaco FC 1 – 0 at Independence Stadium in Choma thanks to a first half goal from Anos Tembo.The win also propelled Green Eagles to six points on par with Forest Rangers as the two teams maintained a 100 percent winning run after the first two games.Zanaco coach Chris Kaunda has accused referees of favouring the home side saying all the coaches complain of bias in officiating during games played at Choma.“We had so many opposition on the pitch. Even the referee. If you saw the yellow card which was given to my assistant coach after asking for that foul which was a penalty [not given], if it was them [Eagles] they would have been given, but he [fourth official] called the referee to come and give the yellow card, for what offence?! Is this how they play in Choma to intimidate coaches or intimidate players?.…. No wonder all the coaches com-plain here, it is such kind of things. It doesn’t require a blind man to see that that was a penalty,” said Kaun-da.Anos Tembo, scorer against Kabwe Warriors over the weekend was once again the one on target against Zanaco to push Eagles to joint top with Forest Rangers with maximum six points. Zanaco now drops to sixth with three points from two games.Following the 1-0 defeat to Forest Rengers at Levy Stadium, Zesco United nited head coach Numba Mumamba has challenged his players to respond positively following their 0-1 defeat to Forest Rangers in the FAZ/MTN week two fixture played yesterday at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium.The eight times league champions have dropped five points from a possible six after drawing 1-all with Napsa Stars and losing 0-1 to Forest Rangers.“It is a great concern on our part because ZESCO United is a big football club. Dropping five points from two games is not good enough for a team like us.There is need for self-introspection and improve in our next game against Lumwana Radiants.”Mumamba has challenged his players to show great character as they prepare to face Lumwana Radiants on Saturday.“We are disappointed with the result. We have lost this game out of our own making. We didn’t start the game on a positive note, we were a bit slow, casual and looked heavy and our opponents capitalised on that.We were much better in the second half and dominated proceedings. If we can replicate our second half per-formance, I am sure we will do well in Lumwana.”Zesco United will tomorrow face Lumwana Radiants in the FAZ/MTN Super League Week Three fixture sched-uled for Solwezi.In the other mid-week fixtures, Lusaka Dynamos came from a goal down to force a 1-1 stalemate with Napsa Stars at Sunset Stadium while Nkana and Lumwana Radiants were involved in a goalless draw at “Chilata” Stadi-um in Kitwe.At Edwin Imboela Stadium in Lusaka, Kabwe Warriors punished the Zambia Police sponsored Nkwazi FC 2-1 thanks to goals from Eric Kabulo and Dominic Chanda while Steve Mutama scored the only goal for Nkwazi.At Indeni sports complex, 10-man Green Buffaloes and Indeni FC recorded a scoreless draw while veteran striker James Chamanga scored the only goal to help Red Arrows beat Kitwe United 1-0 at Nkoloma Stadium.At President Stadium in Kabwe, Prison Leopards held Power Dynamos 0-0 as Young Green Eagles held Buildcon 1-1 at Khosa Stadium in Kafue.Power Dynamos coach Perry Mutapa blamed the dry bumpy Prison Leopards home ground President Stadium pitch for the barren 0-0 draw.“What of if the rains come. In 2020 we still have pitches like this and you expect the national team to play nice ground football? You can’t pass three to four touches. We were forced to tell the boys to play the way Prisons were playing, you have the ball behind, you kick it in front and chase,” said Mutapa.Power are privileged and used to always train and play their passing game at their evergreen, well maintained flat surface Arthur Davies Stadium home pitch.MID-WEEK RESULTS:Zesco 0-1 Forest RangersNkana 0-0 Lumwana RadiantsNAPSA Stars 1-1 Lusaka DynamosGreen Eagles 1-0 ZanacoNkwazi 1-2 Kabwe WarriorsIndeni 0-0 BuffaloesRed Arrows 1-0 Kitwe UnitedYoung Green Eagles 1-1 BuildconPrison Leopards 0-0 Power Dynamos The Sun