Kabwe Warriors lost 2-0 against FC MUZA at Nakambala Stadium in Mazabuka on Saturday, their third consecutive loss, fading their chances of winning the title.
The result leaves Warriors in a tough position in their bid for league glory this season.
Assistant coach Derick Mulenga was left frustrated by his team’s poor showing, especially after what he believed was solid preparation ahead of the match.
“It’s something that is difficult to understand because our preparation went well, and we didn’t expect the team to perform the way it did today,” Mulenga admitted.
A 38th-minute goal from Andrew Phiri and a second-half strike by Biston Banda in the 69th minute sealed the win for FC MUZA, who bounced back from last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Atletico Lusaka. Mulenga acknowledged that the loss was a major setback for Warriors’ ambitions.
“It’s a bad result for us as a team. For us to achieve what we planned for from the start of the season, it’s difficult.“
He attributed the away lose to defensive lapses as a key factor in the defeat.
“Three Defeats Is Worrying”
“Today, our defense didn’t do well. I think we allowed goals that were avoidable. We’ll just continue encouraging the players and hope to work on the mistakes.”
Mulenga also admitted that his side underperformed across all areas and emphasized the need for hard work in the remainder of the season.
“The whole team underperformed today. Losing three games in a row is worrying, but it’s something we can’t run away from. We just need to continue working.”
Despite the defeat, Mulenga picked some positives in the team’s attacking efforts, even though they failed to convert their chances.
“We created chances, chances that at least could have helped us come back. We were down 1-0 in the first half before conceding the second goal, but we had opportunities.”