The 2024–25 MTN Super League kicked off today with sensational Zanaco defeating newly promoted Indeni 2-0 at the Levy Mwanawansa stadium in Ndola.
After just sixteen minutes of play, Christopher Muhango gave the Bankers a lead that gave them a great start in their season opener.
That goal ensured Zanaco were in the lead heading to the first half break.
In the second half, despite some indications of a possible comeback by Indeni, who were promoted to the Super League the previous season, Zanaco’s Lambert Araima doubled the lead in the 54th minute to seal the three points for the Lusaka team.
Zanaco head coach Wedson Nyirenda was satisfied with win and described the match as a tricky encounter.
“I think what was important was to get a win in the first game. It’s always very tricky playing the first game away and against the team that has just come from the lower divisions because you have to deal with the complacency and the rating of the team and all sorts of things,” he told journalists. “We didn’t look much of a refined team, although we were on the upper hand. But I think what was so important was to get those two goals, and we got the victory for the first game.”
Zanaco’s target is to win the league- Nyirenda
Nyirenda also revealed that his target for the season is to win the Super League or at-least finish as runners up.
“We need to give ourselves the target of winning the league, and if not, we get the second. But I think this is when we need to do something special for our fans and our sponsors. Getting the trophy and the league. We are just going to fight for the league. It’s not going to be easy, but we just have to.”
For Tenant Chembo the head coach for Indeni, school boy mistakes cost his team but it was a learning curve.
“Too bad, because it’s a loss anyway. Now no one is going to embrace a loss. I thought we did well, but the only problem that we had was that we were full of mistakes—schoolboy mistakes—because at this level, if you make such mistakes, you get punished. And it was evident in the game. Otherwise, the overall performance was good. Although we couldn’t create a lot of chances, I thought we had the ball, but, eh, there was no creativity.”
