Zanaco head coach Numba Mumamba has attributed his side’s 3-2 defeat to Konkola Blades to the numerical disadvantage they faced following Dominic Kanda’s sending-off.

The Bankers were reduced to 10 men after Kanda was dismissed; a setback Mumamba said disrupted their midfield and allowed Konkola Blades to dominate possession.

Speaking after the match, Mumamba described the result as disappointing, admitting that his team fell short of expectations despite responding strongly after conceding an early goal.

“We conceded an early goal and responded quickly and went ahead, but unfortunately, when we came from the break, we conceded another early goal in the second half,” he said.

Mumamba explained that the red card further unsettled his side, giving Konkola Blades an advantage in midfield.

“The red card that we got also unsettled us in the second half because Konkola now had more numbers in the midfield, and they outsmarted us. Hence, they controlled and kept the ball to themselves due to their numerical advantage,” he said.

The Zanaco coach also criticised his players for lacking urgency and aggression, saying these qualities proved decisive in determining the outcome of the match.

“The team played very well in Chingola, but today we lacked urgency and aggression from most of the players. That is what was the difference between us and Konkola. They were aggressive and had urgency on the ball,” Mumamba said.

He added that defensive lapses contributed to the goals conceded, particularly when his players failed to track opponents making runs to receive the ball again.

Mumamba said the team would review its mistakes and work on improving ahead of its next fixtures against Makeni All Stars and Napsa Stars.