Zanaco Football Club head coach Numba Mumamba has outlined the team’s immediate objective for the opening phase of the 2025/26 MTN Super League season, saying the Bankers are determined to secure qualification for the ABSA Cup.

The Bankers climbed to third on the table with seven points after edging FC Leopards 1-0 in a tightly contested Week 3 fixture.

Speaking after the match, Mumamba admitted his side had to dig deep to hold off their opponents, but expressed satisfaction with the resilience shown.

“A tough game against FC Leopards, I think this is the game that we started on a high, we controlled most parts of the first half. In the second half they began hitting those long balls which unsettled us, but our team rose to the occasion and managed to keep the clean sheet. Getting a victory away from home is something motivating on our part,” he said.

The former Chipolopolo midfielder stressed that Zanaco’s short-term target is to remain consistent in the first round of 17 matches to secure a place in the ABSA Cup, before setting new goals for the second half of the season.

“Our primary objective is to make sure that we qualify to play in the ABSA Cup and then in the second round we will give another objective,” Mumamba explained.

The coach, however, highlighted areas needing improvement, particularly in midfield control and defensive composure.

“We gave them a bit of space in midfield on a few occasions which gave them the impetus to come at us, but we managed to contain them. The defense also started panicking and we didn’t keep the ball well, which gave them an advantage. We have to look into these when we get back to training,” he added.

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