NAPSA Stars Football Club Head Coach Perry Mutapa says the team will miss out of Luka Banda’s top class defending in the next match after the player got a red card in the game played against City of Lusaka.
The Pensioners opened the second round of the Eden National Division One League with a 1-0 win over City of Lusaka in a heated up Local derby played at Woodlands Stadium on Saturday.
Coach Perry was elated by the win saying it did not come easy especially that it was a local derby.
“Not an easy match but it is good to start the second round on a high. Of course, Luka’s red card is a big blow but I trust his replacement will be up to task in the next match,” Coach Perry said.
It was Luka Banda that converted a well curled cross into a goal in the 58th minute with a strong header in the 18-yard box from an Austine Banda corner kick.
Napsa stars who were the host team almost found themselves at the back of the net when Kapambwe Musonda’s shot was saved by City of Lusaka Goal keeper Collen Phiri in the 11th minute.
The second Half of the game was Characterized by a waterlogged pitch after a heavy down pour at half time which changed the pace of the ball as both teams were hardly kicking it.
City of Lusaka also had a chance of taking the lead in the 48th minute from an Emmanuel Kalala’s well taken free kick but was saved by Napsa Stars in-form goal minder Rodwell Mukwanya.
However, City of Lusaka had an opportunity of equalizing from Emmanuel Muyanga’s cross but two players in the box failed to make it count as a goal after both players watched the ball without touching it in the 78th minute.
The local derby was not short of drama has it produced three red cards, with two for City of Lusaka’s Tinker Sinkala and Emmanuel Kalala and one for Napsa Stars’ goal scorer and team captain Luka Banda after they were all involved in a fracas that erupted in the 90th minute.
This was the second meeting of the two teams in this season as the first meeting saw City of Lusaka winning by 1-0 when they hosted the pensioners in their opening game.
The win pushed the Pensioners back to top position of the table with 35 points while City of Lusaka are on ninth position with 22 points.
Napsa Stars will be away to Kitwe United this Saturday in the week 19 fixture.
Story by Harry Nfula