Zanaco Football Club striker Elia Mandanji has emerged as the club’s key player this season, delivering crucial goals and setting his sights on winning the Golden Boot at the end of the 2025/26 Zambian Super League season.
Mandanji currently has seven goals to his name and is three behind the league’s top scorer, Albert Kangwanda, who has netted 10 this season.
He is level on goals with Moses Shumah of Power Dynamos, Christopher Itaka of Nchanga Rangers, and Zesco United’s Amine Hiver.
Mandanji was on the scoresheet for the Bankers in their 2-0 victory over Nkana, marking his seventh goal of the campaign.
Since joining Zanaco on a two-year loan deal from Kafue Celtic, Mandanji has impressed and will be hoping to maintain his fine form.
His performances also earned him a place in the Chipolopolo squad that participated in the 2026 AFCON tournament hosted in Morocco earlier this year.
Speaking to BolaNews exclusively, Mandanji said, “What has been motivating me to work hard is because I have some targets that I need to achieve. My target for this season is that I want to score more than 15 goals and contend for the golden boot at the end of the season.”
Top four finish team’s goal – Mandanji
Mandanji added that he is determined to help the team secure a top-four finish.
“As a team, Zanaco, I think we did well in the first round, and for the second round, our plan is to finish the league in the top four, but football is football; if we find our chance to find ourselves in number one or two, we will still do that.”
Zanaco are currently third on the table with 37 points from 22 matches played. They will face Kabwe Warriors in their next Super League fixture, and Mandanji will be looking to extend his tally.
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