The battle for promotion in the ZPL National League intensified over the weekend, with Makeni All Stars climbing to the top of the Week 13 standings after edging Trident FC 1-0 at Sentinel Ground in Kalumbila.
Makeni now sit on 29 points, level with Roan United, who slipped following a 1-0 defeat to River Plate. Despite the loss, Roan remain second, separated only by goal difference.
Trident, handed their third defeat of the season, stay third on 27 points, while Forest Rangers continued their steady rise to 25 points in fourth place. Chirundu United also joined the 25-point bracket after securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Locus FC, maintaining their push in fifth.
Reflecting on Trident’s setback, head coach Manchi Janza expressed deep frustration but urged his team to stay composed and resilient in the promotion race. He attributed the defeat partly to poor pitch and weather conditions, which forced his side to abandon their original game plan.
“We have to accept every result that comes, even when it’s not what we planned for,” Janza said. “The pitch wasn’t playable, and the weather disturbed us. It didn’t allow us to play our usual football, so we had to go for plan B, and it almost worked.”
Trident had a golden opportunity to level the match in the dying moments but failed to convert a penalty, adding to their recent defensive concerns.
“It’s football—missed chances happen,” Janza admitted. “But conceding in four straight games is not a good signal for us. We must find a way to fix the areas we are falling short in.”
No pressure – Janza
Despite the defeat, Janza dismissed talk of pressure, insisting his squad remains mentally strong and fully engaged in the promotion fight.
“We are knocked down, but we are not out. We are still part of the race. The way forward is to stay focused. Tough games like this are part of the journey, and we need to develop the character to win regardless of weather or pitch conditions.”
Janza also praised his team’s effort, highlighting their fighting spirit even though they failed to score.
“The players fought, the team fought—we just couldn’t put the ball behind the net. But we keep on fighting. We keep going.”
With 13 games played, the ZPL National League table remains tightly contested from top to mid-table, as clubs battle for promotion places as well as Absa Cup qualification at the midway point.
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