Nigerian defender Oluwafemi leaves Zesco

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:27:06 +0000

By GRACE CHAILE -LESOETSA

 NIGERIAN defender Ayo Oluwafemi has left Super Division side Zesco United after a two-season stay at the club.

According to inside sources, Oluwafemi left the club for greener pastures in his native country.

But the sources revealed that Zesco was ready to spend on Kabwe Warriors striker Idriss Mbombo and therefore Oluwafemi’s absence was not a big worry because the club had also bought three defenders ahead of the CAF Confederation Cup game in March.

Zesco signed the Nigerian, an ex-University of Pretoria defender in 2015, as a free agent and was part of the CAF Champions League squad that reached the 2016 semi-finals.

Meanwhile, Zesco had a successful pre-season training this week with caretaker coach Tenant Chembo who said he was impressed with players’ response.

Commenting on the new arrivals – defenders Fackson Kapumbu, Marcel Kalonda and Davey Daka – Chembo said the trio were seasoned players and was confident they will quickly fit into the team.

“The three players are coming straight on board. They are seasoned players and hopefully, God willing, they will fit into the team,” he said.

He revealed that the Kenyan trio of Jessy Were, Anthony Akum and David Odhiambo including Ivorian Ben Adama Banh, had not yet arrived.

“The response has been good apart from the Kenyans who are yet to arrive. We are aware that Banh will join the club later because he has personal business to attend to. Otherwise, the response from the players has been impressive,” Chembo said.

Zesco, who last year made local history by reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, were exempted from the preliminary round of the Confederation Cup and will join the competition in the first round against either KVZ of Zanzibar or Burundi’s Messager Ngozi in March.