Chinama Confident as Prison Leopards Host ZESCO United in Final Fixture of the Year

FC (Prison) Leopards head coach Justin Chinama says his side is fully prepared to go for victory when they host ZESCO United this afternoon in the final Zambia Super League fixture of the year, a rescheduled Week 13 clash set for 15:00 at President Stadium.

Leopards head into the encounter sitting 14th on the Super League table with 11 points from 13 matches, and will be desperate to keep clear of the relegation zone. ZESCO United, ninth with 18 points from the same number of games, arrive looking to finish the year strongly and build momentum following their recent 2–0 win over Kansanshi Dynamos.

Speaking ahead of the match, Chinama expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness.

“I think we are ready for Zesco. We have prepared quickly and we should be able to go for a win,” he said.

The coach revealed that morale is high in camp, with only one player ruled out through injury.

“The morale is very high. I think the team is injury-free apart from one, Kunda Mazinga, who has got a knee injury. Otherwise the rest of the players are ready for the game and we are ready for Zesco.”

With the Leopards hovering near the drop zone, Chinama said ending the year outside the “red zone” is a major boost as the club looks ahead to the second half of the campaign.

“The most consoling part is that we will be ending the year away from the red zone, which is very good for us. As we come back, I think we will plan better and start getting better results. But we should be able to get better results in tomorrow’s game.”

Chinama also issued a rallying call to supporters to turn up in numbers for the final outing of 2025.

“Fans, let them continue running behind the team. Let them come in numbers tomorrow to support the team in the last game of the year. We need to end the year with a win. So fans, come in numbers to cheer the team.”

As the curtain falls on the year, both sides will be eager to sign off on a positive note. For Leopards, the mission is to stay clear of danger. For ZESCO United, it is about sustaining momentum. One last showdown remains, and only one team can claim the final victory of the year.