written by: Bwezani Phiri
MUFULIRA WANDERERS: WILL TENANT CHILUMBA SPARK A REVIVAL, OR IS THIS SLUMP HERE TO STAY?
Mufulira Wanderers, a club with a legacy as proud as their fans’ matchday chants, recently made a bold move by appointing Tenant Chilumba as head coach. The hope? To halt the free-fall that’s left them desperately searching for form. But Chilumba’s start has been… well, let’s just say it’s been bumpy. His debut saw Wanderers drop a 1-3 thriller at home against old foes Nkana, and they followed it up with a heartbreaker—a 0-1 loss on the road to Green Eagles. Fans had hoped for a fairy-tale start, but so far, it’s more of a horror flick.
Wanderers’ recent form chart is a tale of ups and downs… mostly downs. Out of their last ten games, they’ve bagged just two wins, both hard-fought victories (1-0 over NAPSA Stars and 2-0 at Lumwana Radiants). But those have been rare rays of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy season. With five losses and a couple of draws, it’s as if Wanderers have developed a new hobby: keeping their fans on edge with every game.
The real head-scratcher has been their home form. Once a fortress, Mufulira’s home ground has seen more disappointments than comebacks, leaving loyal fans wondering if their motto has disappeared of never giving up in the name MAITE AWINE CHUNGULO. If Chilumba can’t figure out a way to break the home jinx soon, fans might be tempted to start waving white flags—though they’ll probably stick around, hoping that every next game is “the one.”
Under Chilumba’s watchful eye, Wanderers need to find their lost spark fast. Their tendency to concede early goals has put them in “fight-back mode” all too often, forcing them to claw their way back with limited success. There’s no magic wand here, and Wanderers fans know it’s going to take time for Chilumba to work his magic, but patience isn’t exactly trending right now in Mufulira.
For those keeping track, here’s how Mufulira’s rollercoaster has looked so far and slowly it looks like the first objective of the season to qualify for the ABSA Cup is a Bridge too far
Mufulira Wanderers’ Last 10 Games:
- 02/11 – L: Green Eagles 1-0 Mufulira Wanderers
- 26/10 – L: Mufulira Wanderers 1-3 Nkana
- 19/10 – L: Nkwazi 2-1 Mufulira Wanderers
- 05/10 – W: Mufulira Wanderers 1-0 NAPSA Stars
- 29/09 – L: ZESCO United 2-0 Mufulira Wanderers
- 21/09 – L: Mufulira Wanderers 0-2 Mutondo Stars
- 12/09 – W: Lumwana Radiants 0-2 Mufulira Wanderers
- 31/08 – D: Mufulira Wanderers 0-0 Kabwe Warriors
- 24/08 – D: MUZA 0-0 Mufulira Wanderers
- 17/08 – L: Mufulira Wanderers 1-2 Power Dynamos
With this mixed bag of results, Wanderers fans are left wondering if they’ll see their team break out of this funk, or if they should start preparing for a season of “almost but not quite.” Will Chilumba find the magic formula, or are Wanderers in for a season-long rollercoaster?
