Harambee Stars striker Moses Shumah continued his impressive debut season in Zambia after scoring the decisive goal to help Power Dynamos secure a narrow 1-0 victory over Nkana in a heated Kitwe Derby played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The Kenyan forward once again proved his importance to the defending Super League champions, netting the lone goal that sealed maximum points and derby bragging rights for the league leaders.
The win pushed Power Dynamos to 58 points and extended their lead at the top of the table to seven points, strengthening their grip on the title race.
Shumah’s goal was his 18th in the Zambian Premier League this season, an impressive milestone in his debut campaign.
The strike also saw him surpass his previous season’s tally of 17 goals, which he scored while playing for Kakamega Homeboyz in the SportPesa League where he finished as the Golden Boot winner before earning his move to Zambia.
His consistency in front of goal continues to underline why Power Dynamos trusted him to lead their attack.
The derby began at a high tempo, with both teams cautiously sizing each other up in the opening minutes.
Dynamos goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga was forced into an early save in the 10th minute to deny Nkana striker Idris Mbombo, setting the tone for a tightly contested encounter.
A minute later, defender Kondwani Chiboni went into the referee’s book after fouling Lazarous Kambole as tensions started to rise.
Dynamos nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Shumah fired over the bar after finding space inside the box.
Moses Shumah continues purple patch
Mulenga continued to command his area well, intercepting Jacob Ngulube’s dangerous pass with Charles Zulu waiting to pounce, while Chiboni’s late first-half free kick was safely cleared by Nkana goalkeeper Kelvin Malunga to keep the scores level at the break.
The second half saw both coaches turn to their benches for solutions. Power Dynamos introduced Eddy Ankobo and Ronel Manyanga, while Nkana brought in Oliver Lumbiya to stabilize midfield.
The changes proved effective for Power Dynamos as Manyanga made an immediate impact, delivering a precise assist that Shumah calmly finished in the 51st minute to break the deadlock.
Nkana pushed forward in search of an equalizer, and Mbombo came closest when his powerful strike hit the upright just before the hour mark.
Coach Elijah Tana made several attacking changes, introducing Patrick Gondwe, Nduna Zulu, and Dave Daka, but Power Dynamos remained solid at the back.
Late substitutions by coach Osward Mutapa, including the introduction of Salulani Phiri and Linos Makwaza, helped stabilize the game while Shumah was withdrawn in the closing stages after a strong performance to allow Samuel Ayodeji gain derby experience.
After the match, Mutapa admitted his side should have been more clinical in front of goal.
“We had a lot of chances in the first half but we couldn’t bury them. After we scored we were not composed and gave spaces to Nkana. They had their moments but also we defended bravely to get the result,” he said.
Power Dynamos will now shift focus to their Week 29 clash against Kabwe Warriors at Railways Stadium on Wednesday as they continue their push to retain the league title, with Shumah expected to remain central to their attacking threat.