NKANA AGONY AS RELEGATION BECKONS FOR DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

By MICHAEL MIYOBA TRUGGLING Green Eagles rejuvenated themselves by humiliating relegation-bound Nkana to a 3-0 defeat in a Week-27 MTN Super League fixture at Independence Stadium in Choma. Goals from Maybin Kalengo, Amity Shamende and Collins Mulenga moved Eagles to 11th on the Super League table with 33 points. Kalengo put Eagles ahead in the seventh minute before Shamenda doubled the lead five minutes later. Mulenga scored Eagles’s third goal in the second minute of added time to give the home side a win as Nkana suffered their fifth consecutive defeat in the MTN Super League. Nkana whose last league win was a 4-0 win over Young Green Eagles on January 31, have struggled to compete in the Super League despite being the defending champions. The Kitwe giants who have changed three coaches during the 2020/2021 soccer season are second from bottom on the Super League table with 21 points. Now under the leadership of coach Best on Chambeshi who replaced Kelvin Kaindu, the side will need a miracle to avoid relegation after going nine games without a win. Meanwhile, Green Buffaloes extended their winning streak to three after beating Napsa Stars 2-1 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. Goals from striker Friday Samu and Nikolaus Mulilo increased Buffaloes hopes of surviving relegation. Samu gave Buffaloes the lead 21 minutes after kick off when he rose high to head in the opener. Jimmy Mukeya equalised with a great shot from close range in the dying minutes of the first stanza. However, the Pensioners were unfortunate as Luna Banda was penalised for a foul which resulted in a penalty for Buffaloes. Nicholas Mulilo stepped up and sent the goal keeper the wrong way for the Zambia Army side to bag the three points. Buffaloes have moved to 13th with 32 points while Napsa Stars dropped into the relegation zone, 16th with 27 points.