Ex-PSL striker James Chamanga is still going strong at 42, and his coach at Red Arrows is impressed by the player’s work ethic and performance in the Zambian Super League.
‘The big man saved us,’ said Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe after super-sub and Chamanga‘s stoppage-time equaliser in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw against Forest Rangers.
Chamanga replaced Ricky Banda on the hour mark of Arrows’ home game against Forest during a period the sides were still scoreless at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Moyela Libamba put Forest ahead in the 66th minute.
And then the visitors had a man sent off in the 82nd minute when Robson Phiri was shown his second yellow card of the afternoon.
Eight minutes later, Chamanga struck for Arrows to score his third goal of the 2022/2023 FAZ Super League season.
CHAMANGA TO THE RESCUE
“The big man has been starting a lot of our games recently while Ricky Banda was out with an injury, so we thought we rest him a bit so that he can recover,” Mbewe said.
“We brought him in, and he brought in some life, and I think it is just about planning.
“It is a great relief for the team and me.
This is a game we thought we had lost all three points but thank God, we didn’t give up and kept on fighting until we equalised through Chamanga.
“The 42-year-old striker was also key in Arrows clinching the 2021/2022 FAZ Super League title in which he was number two on the clubs, top scorers, with six goals and ten goals.
Ricky Banda went on to lift the FAZ Golden Boot.
Chamanga’s goal also kept Arrows at the summit of the 2022/2023 FAZ Super .0League table with 22 points, two points more than second-placed Prison Leopards.
Arrows has lost just once this season, on September 1, when the defending FAZ Super League champions were beaten 1-0 by struggling Kabwe Warriors.
Forest is fourth on the log standings with 18 points after picking up their sixth draw from 11 games played so far this season.
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