FAZ MTN 2025/26 10 Men Red Arrows Shoot Down Rangers
The fairytale run is over.
Nchanga Rangers, who marched into Week 4 of the 2025/26 MTN Super League with a flawless record of three wins from three and without conceding a single goal were finally grounded by Red Arrows, suffering a 2–0 defeat at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. It was a bruising reality check for the Chingola-based side, whose resilience had earned them early season plaudits.
The opening half had all the ingredients of a blockbuster. Both sides traded chances, with Rangers winger Elliot Kampukesa looking the likeliest to break the deadlock. But just as the Brave Rangers thought they had a foothold, the drama unfolded a crunching foul on Kampukesa just outside the box earned an Arrows defender a straight red card. One man down, but not broken, the Airmen dug deep and held on until halftime.
The second half saw both sides throw bodies forward in pursuit of the opener. And in the 70th minute, it was the hosts who struck first Miche Malonga rifling home to send the Nkoloma faithful into raptures.
With Rangers chasing an equaliser, Arrows sealed the contest deep into stoppage time, when Alassane Diarra punished the stretched visitors with a killer second, 2–0 it ended, and with it, Nchanga’s unbeaten streak vanished into the Lusaka sky.
For Red Arrows, it’s a statement victory proof that even with 10 men, they can outfight and outscore one of the league’s form sides. For Nchanga Rangers, it’s a sobering reminder that in the MTN Super League, every unbeaten run has an expiry date.
The Brave Rangers may have lost the battle, but the season is still young and their story isn’t over.
