The Green Eagles Story-How the Team From Choma Found Themselves 3rd on The Log

It’s only 23 matches played so far but the MTN/FAZ Super League table is beginning to take shape with a number of clubs fighting to finish in the top four positions which guarantees continental football next season.

At the start of the 2018 Super League season, the contenders for those four slots according to many were Zesco United,  Zanaco,  the two Kitwe giants ( Power Dynamos and Nkana), Green Buffaloes and the two big spenders in Buildcon and Lusaka Dynamos.

But no one could have predicted that 23 games into the season, it will be Choma Green Eagles sitting comfortably on third place on the log with 42 points, one more than Zanaco, three more than Nkana and four above Power Dynamos.

Eagles journey from fighting relegation to fighting for the league

The Eagles finished 13th last season with 44 points just five above the relegation waters and needed a final day 1-0 win over Green Buffaloes to stay up the top flight.

Chiyangi’s men only managed to win 10 games for the entirety of last season but at this point they have only managed to win two more than last season with just two points short of their 2017 tally.

Appointed just over a year ago, Aggrey Chiyangi has managed to build a strong team  that has been competing with the very best in the Super League.  The team from Choma are on a four-game winning streak and. in over ten games, have only lost once against arguably the best team in Zambia,  Zesco United away in Ndola.

Goals from everywhere  

The Stubborns have scored 33 goals so far which is already more than their total for last season (31). What has been key for them this term is the fact that they are scoring goals from everywhere.

Four players have scored at least three or more goals this season and over seven players in total have registered at least a goal for the Choma based outfit. Tapson Kaseba is their leading goalscorer with 9 goals while Anos Tembo and Spencer Sautu have contributed 6 goals each with Progress Kalenga notching up three strikes which all came last weekend against New Monze Swallows.

This is something Green Eagles’ coach Aggrey Chiyangi is very happy about and after their 3-0 win over Lusaka Dynamos in midweek, he described it as an added advantage as their opponents had a tough time planning for his team.

“It is a very big advantage to the team to have a number of players scoring. This was what we wanted from the start of the season when we only had Spencer Sautu and Tapson Kaseba scoring. Then, It was very easy for other teams to plan for us but now since we have a lot more players scoring, it’s difficult for other teams and easy for us,” he said

A dream to play continental football

With the way things are turning out for them, no one would rule out this determined side from making for a continental spot. The fans have already started dreaming of their team playing against the biggest teams from around the continent.

This, however, won’t be easy with 15 games left to play. It still anyone’s guess over who will end up finishing in the top four places.  Chiyangi also arrived to this fact and believes his team has a lot of work to do if they are to end up playing continental football next year.

“The race is still on and it’s still very far. If we start thinking we have already qualified for continental then we will be cheating ourselves. What’s important for now is to take every game that comes very serious. We have moved up to third place yes but we have to keep fighting because it won’t be easy it will be very difficult,” he said.

Despite the season being far from over, Green Eagles have shown real promise and if they continue it might not just end at dreaming.