Saturday is Nigeria day at Zanaco, when a legend and a student make their debuts this weekend for the Zambian club.
Nigeria Super Eagles legend and junior international coach Emmanuel Amunike will make his debut on the Zanaco bench as technical adviser.
Zanaco is also set to unveil relatively unknown Nigerian striker Austin Iheanacho who joined Zanaco this week on a two-year deal after a long career in the Sudanese league.
The Nigerian duos’ arrival is timely as the seven-time Zambian league champions Zanaco host the defending FAZ Super League title holders Red Arrows in a Lusaka derby at Sunset Stadium.
DERBY DAY
Zanaco will be hoping Amunike and Iheanacho are just what they need to lift them from a two-match losing run.
That run has seen Zanaco sit at number 12 with 6 points from five games played as they try to recover from last season’s poor campaign that saw them finish sixth by their top four standards.
But Arrows are seemingly not overawed by the big name arrival waiting to welcome them at Sunset this weekend.
“We are champions; everyone who plays us will want to prove a point. We have prepared well for the game, and hopefully, we walk out with the three points, “Arrows goalkeeper coach Kalililo Kakonje said.
Kakonje was standing in for Arrows head coach Chisi Mbewe who was at Zambia Under 20 camp preparing the team for the 2022 COSAFA U20 Cup that starts next week in Eswatini.
Meanwhile, Arrows head into the Lusaka derby unbeaten against Zanaco in their last four league games with three draws and a win.
Zanaco traces their last Capital City derby win over Arrows to February 2020, when they beat their Lusaka rivals 2-1 at the same venue.
Furthermore, Zanaco head into the match, seeking their first league win at home in the 2022/2023 season after losing their opening two matches there.
Zanaco fans now eagerly await to savour Amunike’s Nigerian flavour at Sunset on Saturday.
