NAPSA Stars have bounced back to winning ways after shocking defending champions, Red Arrows 1-0 in a Week-8 fixture at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka.

The Pensioners, who were beaten by Mufulira Wanderers before the international break, faced the defending champions head-on in a tightly contested Midlands derby which was characterised with a lot of fouls.

The Airmen, who were forced to finish the game with a man down, did everything right in the first half which was evenly contested but it was the Pensioners who went ahead three minutes before the break.

Midfielder, Jimmy Mukeya beat his marker and set up the young Emmanuel Mwanza for the lone goal which gifted NAPSA Stars the advantage.

Arrows tried to get the equaliser in the second half but were unlucky as substitute Angel Lubamba was handed a red card for a second bookable offence to give NAPSA Stars the needed advantage to protect their lone goal and secure all three points to move to seventh on the log with 11 points, on par with the Airmen who dropped to ninth.

“A sweet victory. I think the team has not been very consistent and today a victory has meant a lot for each and every player. I think from here we need to make sure that the consistency continues. We need to pick maximum points in the next game,” NAPSA Stars coach Sipho Mumbi said in an interview after the game.

He said beating the defending champions had given his charges the motivation needed to fight on as the league progressed.

For Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe, defeat to NAPSA Stars is a big setback to the Airmen who had a negative attitude towards the game.

“Our attitude wasn’t right. We thought we had already won this game and that’s how we even allowed our opponents to come on us and score the goal and after they scored, that’s when we realised that the game has started and to come back into the game I think it was too late,” said Mbewe.

At Edwin Imboela Stadium in Lusaka, High Flying Nkwazi FC escalated to eighth on the log after coming from behind to beat Mighty Mufulira Wanderers 2-1.

Mathews Mashimikilo was the hero of the day as he scored the winner in the 87th minute after Innocent Kashita had cancelled George Ndlovu’s own goal in the first half.

It was a disappointing start to new Mufulira Wanderers coach Tennant Chilumba, who was named as head coach three days before the Week-8 fixture in Lusaka.

Meanwhile, former Under 20 national team captain, Prince Mumba scored the lone goal as Kitwe giants, Power Dynamos stunned FC MUZA 1-0 at Nakambala Stadium in Mazabuka.

The win pushed Power Dynamos to second position on the log with 13 points, three points behind the league leaders, Zesco United.

At the Godfrey Chitalu Stadium in Kabwe, Martin Kapela scored a 90th minute goal to rescue Green Buffaloes from suffering second consecutive defeat as they held Warriors to a 1-1 stalemate.

Sensational Zanaco FC picked their fourth draw of the season after holding Lumwana Radiants 0-0 at Lumwana Grounds.