Mon, 17 Apr 2017 10:09:48 +0000
By MICHAEL MIYOBA
THE Football Association of Zambia has commended Zesco United for qualifying to the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup after beating Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers 3-0 in the second leg of the pre-group stage fixture last Saturday at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
In an interview with the Daily Nation Sports in Lusaka, FAZ president Andrew Kamanga said his association was proud of Zesco’s exploits in continental football.
Kamanga commended management of Zesco United for their continued efforts in putting Zambian football on the world map.
“We are excited with Zesco’s qualification to the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup. Zesco showed that they are not a small team. Kudos to the technical team and management of the club. The way Zesco have performed is an indication that Zambian football is on the rise,” Kamanga said.
Kamanga said that Enugu Ranger’s elimination from the CAF Confederations Cup signified how strong and focused the Zlatko Krmpotic-mentored side was.
He noted that it was good that Zesco was able to replicate its 2016 performance when the team reached the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League under George Lwandamina.
Kamanga has however called on the team not to relax. He said there was need for the team to remain focused if they were to progress to the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation tournament.
“We are very happy to have Zesco representing us in the Confederation Cup tournament. This team has proved to be a very strong side. Enugu is not a small team and them being eliminated from the tournament is an indication that Zambian football is doing fine,” Kamanga said.
The Ndola giants defeated Nigerian champions Enugu rangers 5-2 aggregate score line to progress to the group stage of the CAF Confederations Cup.
The draws for the group stage will be held on 26 April 2017 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The 16 teams will be drawn into four groups of four with the winners and runners-up of each group progressing to the
quarter-finals of the
tournament.
