Red Arrows forward Albert Kangwanda has reflected on what he described as an “amazing season” after helping the Airmen secure a second-place finish in the MTN Super League and lift the 2026 ABSA Cup.
The striker enjoyed one of the best campaigns of his career, finishing the season with an impressive return of 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions.
Kangwanda played a major role in Red Arrows’ success throughout the season and established himself as one of the standout attacking players in Zambian football.
“It Was an Amazing Season”
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Bolanews, the former Kafue Celtic forward admitted the team achieved several important objectives despite narrowly missing out on the league title.
“It was an amazing season; we set targets for this season, and we managed to achieve some of our targets,” Kangwanda said.
“We only failed to win the league, but we won the ABSA Cup and qualified for African football.”
The Airmen concluded the campaign strongly by defeating Power Dynamos 2-0 in the ABSA Cup final to secure qualification for next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
Focus Already on CAF Confederation Cup
Kangwanda revealed that attention is already beginning to shift towards the upcoming continental campaign.
The striker believes the team must use the offseason well before returning fully prepared for both domestic and African football next season.
“Even as we break, hopefully we’ll come back and be ready for the league and African football,” he added.
Red Arrows will be among the Zambian representatives in CAF competition next season as they look to improve the country’s recent record on the continental stage.
Kangwanda Calls for Belief
When asked about what Red Arrows need in order to progress beyond the preliminary stages of CAF competition, Kangwanda emphasised the importance of belief and teamwork.
“It’s just belief, and I think it’s just belief and when you work hard as a team,” he explained.
The forward insisted African football should not intimidate Zambian clubs because the fundamentals of the game remain the same everywhere.
“Football is played the same way everywhere, so whether you are playing a team from East Africa, Southern Africa, it has the same rules.”
“We just have to believe, stay focused and keep working hard and if you are better than the other team you will obviously win it.”
Outstanding Numbers for Kangwanda
Kangwanda’s contributions this season further highlighted his importance to Red Arrows.
The striker finished the campaign with:
- 17 goals in all competitions
- 8 assists
- ABSA Cup winner’s medal
- CAF Confederation Cup qualification
His performances also earned him recognition during the club’s end-of-season awards gala, where he collected the Top Scorer Award.
Red Arrows Looking to Change Narrative
Zambian clubs have often struggled to make a major impact in CAF competitions in recent years.
However, Red Arrows will now hope to change that narrative as they prepare for another continental campaign following their domestic success.
With experienced players and growing confidence within the squad, the Airmen will be aiming to compete strongly against Africa’s top clubs.
Conclusion
Albert Kangwanda believes Red Arrows have every reason to feel proud after a successful 2025/26 campaign that delivered silverware and continental qualification.
After enjoying one of the best individual seasons of his career, the striker is now focused on helping the Airmen compete strongly both locally and in Africa next season.
