NAPSA Stars begin life without coach Mohamed Fathi with a visit to Kabwe Warriors where interim coach Kampamba Chintu will be facing his former paymasters.
On Monday, Napsa began the process of partying away with the Egyptian when they sent him on administrative leave alongside three others.
Those accompanying Fathi for ‘gardening’ are logistics manager Gift Chaipa, acting chief executive officer and technical director Honour Janza and administrator Daniel Chiboleka.
The reasoning behind the decision was that the team has struggled in the league this season and are now on the brink of relegation even though Fathi has always maintained that he was not going to let the team drop to the lower ranks.
The reality though is that Napsa can go down if they continue failing to collect results with the league well in its business end where clubs are playing to decide their fate.
Napsa are leading the teams in the relegation zone as they sit on 15th with 36 points, had they won their last two matches, they would have been on their path to safety by now.
So today, there will be no room for error for Chintu as he looks to enhance his chances of getting the Napsa job on a permanent basis.
This will be the second time he will be taking charge of the team in Fathi’s absence after deputising in February when the Egyptian took compassionate leave following the death of his father.
However, Warriors will not have time for sentiments with coach Ian Bakala having his own targets to meet as he continues to act in an interim capacity after his boss Levy Chabala was sent on administrative leave.
Knowing that they have a genuine chance for a top four finish, this is a game that Warriors will be playing to win.
The five time league champions are fifth on the table with 44 point. A win against inconsistent Napsa will see them into the top four.
Such is the motivation that strikers Jimmy Ndhlovu and Akakulubelwa Mwachiaba will be heading into the match with.
Both teams are going into the match at the back of defeats with Warriors having lost 2 – 1 to Kitwe United while Napsa succumbed to a 4 – 2 loss to Green Eagles.
In a later kick off, Prison Leopard have the biggest of task in finding a way to slow down Zesco United when the two meet at the President’s Stadium.
Leopards are far from guaranteeing their safety in the league but could make a giant leap today should they beat Zesco who are looking to reclaim their lost title.
Prison are on 38 points, should they win today, they will move to 41 points, the 40 point mark is a sure bet to stay up for another season in the topflight.
Zesco are coming into the game at the back of a 1 – 0 win over Lusaka Dynamos while Prison were condemned to a 2 – 1 loss against Nkana.