Joel Bwalya set for big test against Nkana

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Oct 30, 2021. 10:00

Joel Bwalya faces another huge test as Kafue Celtic coach this Saturday when they host giants Nkana in a FAZ Super League Week 9 game at Edwin Emboela Stadium in Lusaka.

The ex-Chipolopolo midfielder and 1994 AFCON silver medalists’ stock is on a high in his debut season as head coach in the FAZ Super League since leaving the Zanaco assistant post last year.

Bwalya has done well so far with the league debutants Celtic who are number 5 and unbeaten in their last five matches in which they have won three and drawn two.

Celtic have beaten or embarrassed some established sides that included a 2-0 home win over defending FAZ Super League champions Zesco United on September 29, a result that handed the holders their first loss of the campaign.

That result came after Celtic ended early-season pacesetters Buildcon’s three-match winning start and later held struggling Kitwe giants Power Dynamos 0-0 away in Kitwe.

On Saturday, Bwlaya has another great opportunity to enhance his credentials when they host record 13-time Zambian champions Nkana.

Nkana may be struggling over the last two seasons since lifting an unprecedented 13th league title in 2020 but they remain the team to beat on a good or bad day.

The visitors are currently stuttering through the early part of the season and are 9th on 10 points, two points behind Celtic after eight games played.

Nkana also come into the match after a 1-0 away loss to number nine placed Kansanshi Dynamos on October 23 and have collected just one win from their last five games in which they have lost three times.

The fixture will also pit two of this seasons’ top gun prospects.

Nkana striker Alex Ngonga, who has just recovered a Chipolopolo call-up for November’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers, will be hunting for his fifth goal of the season.

Celtic’s Albert Kangwanda has 3 goals as his team pushes to extend their unbeaten run to six straight games.

Appropriately, the match has taken prominence in Saturday’s doubleheader at Emboela Stadium as a 15h00 kickoff.

The fixture will supersede unbeaten league leaders Green Buffaloes lunchtime kickoff against promoted Kansanshi.

FAZ SUPER LEAGUE – WEEK 9

30/10/2021

Lusaka Dynamos-Nkwazi

Green Buffaloes-Kansanshi

Kafue Celtic-Nkana

Prison Leopards-Chambishi

Green Eagles-Indeni

Konkola Blades-Zesco United

31/10/2021

Forest Rangers-Kabwe Warriors

Power Dynamos-Zanaco

Buildcon-Nkwazi