Power Dynamos head coach Osward Mutapa has challenged his players to start their MTN Transitional League campaign on a positive note when the reigning champions travel to Chililabombwe to face Konkola Blades on Saturday.
The match at Konkola Stadium is scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, with Power Dynamos returning to a venue that holds special memories for the club after they secured the MTN Super League title there last season against the same opponents.
For Mutapa, the circumstances surrounding the fixture add an interesting layer to Saturday’s encounter, but the Power Dynamos coach insists that the focus must now be on starting the new campaign strongly.
“The first game is important that we start on a positive note and get a positive result. We are champions, so we have to show why we are champions,” Mutapa said.
Power Dynamos were crowned MTN Super League champions after their decisive encounter against Konkola Blades in Chililabombwe last season, meaning Saturday’s return to the venue will bring back memories of the moment they lifted the league crown.
“Go out there. We won the league last time. Our last game when we were confirmed as champions was in Chililabombwe,” Mutapa added.
However, the coach is fully aware that past success will count for little once the two teams step onto the pitch. He expects Konkola Blades to provide a difficult test, particularly with Power having to play away from home.
“It won’t be an easy game. A very difficult ground to go to. But I feel we should be able to get the result as we go there.”
The champions have been preparing for the transitional campaign despite Mutapa’s involvement with the Zambia national team during part of the build-up. The coach says the club’s preparations have continued without interruption, with the rest of the technical staff maintaining the programme in his absence.
“We have had three sessions. Whether I’m there or not, I think the most important thing is that the team is here,” he said.
“It’s only me that was out in terms of the technical bench, but the rest were around. The job didn’t sleep, everyone was working.”
The coach has also had to assess his squad carefully after several Power Dynamos players were involved with the national team. With players returning at different stages, Mutapa says selection decisions have been made with the interests of the team in mind.
“Of course we had players that were available here and those that went to the national team. We have to look at many things to decide,” he explained.
“Yes, we had players that were with the national team but not in the team. It’s not against anyone but for the interest of the team.”
The comments underline the selection challenges that come with managing a squad containing players involved in international football, particularly at the beginning of a new domestic campaign.
Despite those considerations, Mutapa believes Power Dynamos have enough quality and preparation to approach Saturday’s encounter with confidence. The objective is to begin the transitional campaign with a result that reflects their status as the reigning champions.
The coach has also called on Power Dynamos supporters to make the trip to Chililabombwe and provide the team with strong backing from the stands.
“We ask them to come in numbers to give moral support to the team and we want to give them the result.”
Power Dynamos have named a 20-man squad for the opening fixture, with the selection featuring a mixture of goalkeeping, defensive, midfield and attacking options.
Goalkeepers: Josphat Lilanda, Willard Mwanza.
Defenders: Jackson Mulambia, Kondwani Chiboni, Mathews Chabala, John Soko, Dominic Chanda.
Midfielders: Daniel Adoko, Linos Makwaza Jr, Joshua Mutale, Frederick Mulambia, Wilson Chisala, Owen Tembo, Ronel Manyanga, Salulani Phiri, Titus Chansa, Fabrice Ndeh Nsoh, Innocent Kashita.
Strikers: Amine Hiver, Andy Boyeli.
The recent head-to-head record also gives Power Dynamos a positive record against Konkola Blades. The champions have won five of their last 10 meetings, while Konkola Blades have recorded two victories, with the other three matches ending in draws.
However, the historical record will have little bearing once Saturday’s match begins. Power Dynamos will have to negotiate what Mutapa has described as a difficult ground while attempting to translate their status as champions into an opening-day result.
For Konkola Blades, meanwhile, the fixture provides an opportunity to begin the transitional campaign with a strong performance against the reigning champions on home soil. The Chililabombwe side will also be determined to prevent Power from enjoying another positive result at a venue where the visitors secured the league title last season.
The transitional format means clubs will have limited time to establish themselves, making the opening fixtures particularly important. Power Dynamos therefore know that a strong start could provide valuable momentum as the campaign develops.
Mutapa’s message to his players is clear: the champions must demonstrate the standards that took them to the league title. Saturday’s trip to Chililabombwe will provide the first opportunity to do exactly that.
With a 15:00 kick-off at Konkola Stadium, Power Dynamos will begin their transitional campaign aiming to leave the same venue with another important result — this time not to secure the title, but to lay down an early marker as the reigning champions.
