Forest Rangers head coach Boyd Mulwanda has praised his players for their resilience and defensive discipline after securing a 2-0 victory over Kitwe United in a ZPL National League match played on Saturday at Ndola’s Dola Hill Stadium.

Second-half substitutes made the difference, with Chikwanda Musonda opening the scoring in the 64th minute before Progress Malama sealed the win in the 90th minute.

The result marked Forest Rangers’ seventh win of the campaign and lifted them to fourth place on 25 points—four points behind joint leaders Makeni All Stars and Roan United.

Speaking after the match, Mulwanda commended his side for maintaining focus and keeping a clean sheet but stressed the importance of improving their finishing, noting that the team struggled to convert chances in the first half.

“I think the boys put up a good fight. We just have to keep on fighting,” he said. “We told the boys that for all the games we’re going to play at home, we just have to win. And if we are pushing for promotion, we have to win our games at home.”

“Improve our attacking” – Mulwanda.

Mulwanda acknowledged the impact of substitutes Musonda and Malama, describing them as crucial game changers who responded well when called upon.

“We created some scoring chances in the first half, which we couldn’t convert. We thought we had to change the way we were attacking and approach the game. They were solid at the back, so we tried to improve our attacking front. The boys that came in are the ones who won us the game, which is good for the team.”

He further noted a recent trend of the team scoring late in games, attributing it to sustained pressure and superior conditioning.

“As we continue pushing and creating chances, it is paying off in the last phase of the game. What is also important is the level of fitness for the boys—they keep on pushing until we get the goals that we want,” he added.

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