Red Arrows stun Zambian club champions Power Dynamos to capture Absa Cup

Power Dynamos may have clinched the Zambia Super League title with three rounds remaining but were denied a domestic double on Sunday after Red Arrows emerged victorious with a 2-0 victory in Sunday’s Absa Cup final played in Ndola.

Goals on both sides of halftime from Albert Kangwanda and Lazarous Chishimba secured a cup title for the Lusaka club as well as qualification for the 2026-27 CAF Confederation Cup.

Arrows, currently in second place in the Zambia Super League and fighting for a place in next season’s CAF Champions League, have proven to be the only club to foil Dynamos this season and showed the winning formula once again. Sunday’s defeat marks the first defeat of 2026 for Dynamos, who dominated the league during the second half of the campaign to move out of reach.

Red Arrows pounce on defensive errors

But defensive mistakes plagued them on the big stage at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. An apparently innocuous cross from the left wing following a Red Arrows throw-in was poorly dealt with by Dynamos left back John Soko, who could only nod the ball back towards the center of his penalty area.

An initial resulting shot was well saved by keeper Lawrence Mulenga but former Al-Hilal Omdurman forward Kangwanda was in the right place to smash home the rebound.

It was a devastating blow just before halftime, but a just reward for an Arrows team that embraced the spotlight and looked to attack. Dynamos failed to recover over the halftime break and once again the defense was responsible for another lapse in concentration in the 54th minute.

Another throw-in came down the right wing this time and Dynamos defender Dominic Chanda swung and missed on his clearance attempt, allowing Chishimba plenty of room to move in on goal. Despite a tight angle, Chishimba blasted a high effort that overwhelmed Mulenga in goal for the second.

Red Arrows power off Dinamo to claim the 2026 ABSA Cup winners! #FAZfootball, #absacup2026, #FillUpLevy pic.twitter.com/4bxUDgUrFI

— FAZ (@FAZFootball) May 10, 2026

Even if they conceded the title race to a dominant Dynamos side that has only lost once in 2026, to Pyramids FC in the CAF Champions League, Arrows will be delighted to secure qualification to CAF interclub competition after a difficult 2024-25 season. Now they will focus on attempting to secure second place following their third cup triumph since the current format was adopted in 2007.