At the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, league leaders Power Dynamos and bitter rivals Nkana square off in this weekend’s much anticipated Kitwe derby on Sunday, a match which is more than just a game as it is a battle of pride, ambition, and heritage.
For all parties, the stakes are very high. With 63 points, Power Dynamos leads the MTN Super League by six points over Zesco United, who are in second place. Power might be declared champions if they win on Sunday and Zesco makes a mistake against the Lumwana Radiants.
Nkana feels confident going into this match because of recent history. They have won both of their previous derby matches, including one earlier this season that was 2-1. However, Power, who have won 16 of the 32 meetings since 2011, has a tiny advantage in the head-to-head statistics. Six games have ended in draws, while Nkana has won ten victories. In addition, Power scored 42 goals compared to Nkana’s 28.
Aba Yellow is currently undefeated in their last 14 games and has won 12 straight games in all competitions. Nkana, on the other hand, are not slouches; their eight games without a loss in all competitions indicates that they are finding their rhythm at the ideal moment.
Ahead of this match, Power Dynamos head coach Oswald Mutapa said “This is a game like any other in the league. But it’s the biggest game in the country. We want to beat Nkana and become champions-elect on Sunday, that’s why we’ve asked players to go out and enjoy themselves on the pitch.”
“It’s a very important game. We are going to play to win. Every player knows what’s at stake and that’s three points.” according to Dynamos skipper Salulani Phiri.
Christopher Katongo, Nkana assistant coach “This is for the fans. Yes, Power have worked hard, and if they win, we’ll congratulate them, but we won’t let that happen. 𝙒𝙚’𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 because we also want to play continental football. Three points is very important for us on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, Nkana defender Stephan Chulu said “It’s not just about the three points. If you lose this game, you can’t even walk next door with your head high. Every player in our team knows what we want. Yes, we want the points, but pride is also at stake.”
Nkana isn’t only there to increase their numbers, though; they’re ready to compete and have European football as their goal. When the two opponents battle for the right to boast, the massive Levy Mwanawasa stadium will light up at 15:00 hours on Sunday.
READ ALSO: Kasonde Explains Why Power Dynamos Will Win The Kitwe Derby.
