Kigonya's Forest Rangers & Odhoji's Napsa Stars to resume title chase in July

Goalkeepers Shaban Odhoji and Mathias Kigonya are expected to resume their Zambian Super League title chase as the league has been given permission to resume in July 

President Edgar Lungu earlier said football matches can return in Zambia so long as the Ministry of Health guidelines are respected.

Ugandan goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya and Forest Rangers sit atop the Faz Super League table with 46 points from 24 matches as they aim to win the 2020 title.

Odhoji's Napsa Stars are second, one point behind, but have played one more game than the leaders. Although Kigonya has played key roles for Rangers, Kenya's Odhoji has not featured prominently for Stars.

Other Kenyans who will return to action are Zesco United's Ian Otieno, defender David Owino and strikers John Makwatta and Jesse Were.

Zesco United, with 42 points, have played 24 matches and are still in the race to retain the league gong as well.

At Nkana, Musa Mohammed, Harun Shakava, Duncan Otieno and Duke Abuya are all expected to play key roles for the Kitwe club.

With the Presidential green light, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is expected to meet with the Super League and Divison One club's representatives next week to lay down programmes and modalities that will guide the leagues' resumption.

FAZ general secretary Adrian Kashala said teams can be allowed to begin training on July 1 and gave July 18 as a possible date of resumption.

“We are hereby requesting clubs in the FAZ MTN Super Division and the FAZ Eden University National Division One to send their CEOs or an appropriate representative at the executive level to attend the following briefings,” Kashala said.

“All Lusaka Province, Central Province and Southern Province based clubs of the Zambian Premier League to convene at exactly 10:30 AM at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on Tuesday 30th June 2020.

"All Northern, North Western and Copperbelt Province based clubs of the Zambian Premier League to convene at exactly 10:30 AM in Ndola at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Thursday, July 2 2020.”

The federation has further asked the clubs to approach District health authorities to facilitate testing of their players and members of staff.

FAZ also confirmed members have been served with guidelines agreed on from meetings between them and the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Health.

As is the practice among most other global leagues, Zambian competitions will be honoured behind closed doors.