NAPSA Stars Football Club Head Coach Perry Mutapa has urged his boys to work hard going into the ABSA Cup competition.
The Pensioners were this morning drawn against drawn Army and Super league side Green Buffalos FC in this year’s ABSA Cup competition which starts on March 12, 2022.
Speaking after the draws held at Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka today, Coach Perry said it will not be easy for his team especially coming from the lower division, but has urged everyone to fight and get to the final round.
The competition which starts with quarter final round has been scheduled for Arthur Davis Stadium in Kitwe with Pensioners facing GBFC on the 13th of March 2022.
“Being a cup competition, we did not expect any easy draw especially coming from the lower division. But we will give it our all and our biggest target as at now is going back to the Super Division,” Coach Perry said.
And looking at GBFC, Coach Perry said the opponents have encountered a lot of games at a higher level and will have a lot of experience facing NAPSA, but was also quick to add that the Pensioners wil also be up to task.
Napsa Stars FC qualified to this competition after finishing in top two of the Eden National Division One league at the end of the first round of the season.
This will be the fifth appearance for the Pensioners to what is currently Zambia’s only running Cup Competition.
The Pensioners took part in 2012 and went on to lift the trophy when the competition was called Barclays Cup. In 2014, the team came close but were eliminated by Zesco United in the Semi-final round.
Another impressive run came in the 2017 when the team reached the final round under Coach Linos Makwaza who had taken over Coach Tenant Chilumba. Napsa lost this match to Zanaco FC.
2020 should have been NAPSA’S fourth participation under Coach Mohamed Fathi but the competition could not take place owing to COvid-19 outbreak.
Meanwhile, ABSA Bank Zambia has secured K4 million to this year’s ABSA Cup tournament that will see winners pocket K650,000.
ABSA Bank Zambia Managing Director Mizinga Melu confirmed this during the draws this morning saying this year’s runner up will pocket K300,000.
The Player and Coach of the Tournament will each receive K25 ,000 while the K15,000 has been reserved for the Man of the Match for every game.
Full draws;
Lumwana Radiants Vs Nkana
ZESCO United Vs Green Eagles
NAPSA Stars Vs Green Buffaloes
Nkwazi Vs Red Arrows
March 12 & 13: Quarter-finals (Arthur Davies Stadium)
April 2: Semi-finals (Nkoloma Stadium)
April 16: Final (National Heroes Stadium)
Ends