By Mubukwanu Kaingu
Power Dynamos captain Godfrey Ngwenya says they will show Nkana no mercy in tomorrow’s Kitwe derby as they hunt for their fifth straight victory in the land’s biggest football showdown at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The two Kitwe giants head into Saturday’s final leg Kitwe derby for the 2023/2024 season with contrasting objectives.
Power are third and realistically seeking a second place finish as Red Arrows hold pole position on the final stretch of the 2023/24 title race and are nine points behind the latter with six games left.
Nkana on the other hand are battling for survival at the opposite end of the log, a scenario they have been in all of this season.
The Kitwe giants are 11th with 34 points, three behind Konkola Blades who are just above the demotion zone trap door where Mufulira Wanderers occupy to top of the bottom four zone of the damned on 30 points.
In the midst of Nkana’s woes, Power beat them 2-0 away in the first leg last November, having won all their last four derby showdowns.
“We are not going to show mercy for Nkana, our aim will be to get maximum points that will brighten our chances of catching up in our quest to defend the league title,” Ngwenya said.
However, Nkana captain Stephen Chulu is optimistic they can end their four year derby drought.
“We are going to play for pride and I can assure our supporters that Nkana is determined to get points, our aim is to win and get points,” Chulu said.
Nkana’s last league derby victory over Power was on December 12, 2021 when they beat their arch-foes 2-0 at home in what was the last time they also won back to back Kitwe derbies following a similar score line away at Arthur Davies Stadium.
Meanwhile, the match will mark Power coach Osward Mutapa’s Kitwe derby debut following his appointment in January.
Nkana coach Ian Bakala heads into his second and seeking a first-ever derby triumph to append in his Nkana section of his CV.
