On Saturday, Kansanshi Dynamos will play their first home match of the season against in-form, Konkola Blades, looking to bounce back from a 4-1 defeat to FC MUZA and secure their first victory of the campaign in a Week-four super league fixture.
Kansanshi Dynamos ccompeting in Stream A, have collected a draw and a defeat in their opening two matches and will be eager to give their supporters something to celebrate on home soil.
However, they face a Konkola Blades side enjoying an impressive start, having beaten defending champions Power Dynamos and Zanaco in their opening two matches.
The Chililabombwe outfit, coached by Beston Chambeshi, have scored five goals and conceded three in those fixtures and will travel to Solwezi hoping to extend their winning run.
Speaking ahead of the match, Kansanshi Dynamos head coach Dennis Makinka said his players had responded positively in training following the heavy defeat to MUZA, with the technical bench focused on rebuilding confidence and correcting mistakes.
“Looking at the result that we recorded, the most important thing that we focused on as we resumed on Monday was to get them back, to forget about the game. We told them this is just a bend and not the end. We are still moving,” he said.
Makinka described the league as a marathon and said the team had maintained high morale and commitment during preparations for the weekend encounter.
He added that the first home fixture presented an opportunity for Kansanshi to make a statement in front of their supporters while addressing their defensive shortcomings and improving their finishing.
“No underrating” – Makinka.
“The expectation obviously is to do well and also to stop the bleeding. Obviously, we allowed so many goals against MUZA. We’ve been working on the defensive organization and also on finishing because we are playing at home,” he said.
“First game at home, we have to give our fans something to smile about. At least we need to play for every point.”
The coach acknowledged the quality and experience within the Konkola Blades camp, particularly that of Chambeshi, whom he described as an experienced coach familiar with the game and Kansanshi’s setup.
Makinka said his players had been reminded to respect their opponents without being intimidated by their recent results.
“Obviously, it’s a team that is enjoying good form, and they have a very experienced coach based on Chambeshi, my senior coach. Obviously, he’s been around, and he knows all the corners, even of this club, because he’s been here before,” he said.
“We need to be at our best. We need to play the game from the beginning. No underrating, no fear, but obviously we have to have respect for them.”
Makinka added that Kansanshi would give their all on Saturday as they seek to turn their preparations into a positive result.
On team fitness, the coach revealed that the squad had a few knocks, with the technical bench expected to assess the affected players before making final decisions.
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