By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZESCO United reclaimed an eight-point lead at the summit of the MTN Super League table after beating Lusaka Dynamos 1-0 in a Week-32 fixture played yesterday at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Kenyan international Jesse Were came off the bench to score Zesco’s lone goal which propelled them to 58 points.
Lusaka Dynamos had started as the better team with Emmanuel Chabula almost breaking the deadlock six minutes after kick off but was unfortunate to waste the opportunity that Otieno swatted away.
Otieno was also ready to stop Willy Stefanous from breaking the deadlock in the eighth minute.
Dynamos were also unfortunate to miss another chance in the 15th minute as Otieno denied Stefanous from scoring the opener in the 15th minute.
Zesco first came close to scoring the lead in the 28th minute when defender Solomon Sakala’s header came off the upright as Dynamos survived.
Zesco coach Mumamba Numba made a tactical change, introducing Were to replace Kasoma a few minutes after the half hour mark.
Were made an immediate impact, heading in Simon Silwimba’s cross to break Lusaka Dynamos’ hearts two minutes before the break.
Were benefitted from a beautiful exchange of passes between, Mubanga Kampamba and Silwimba with the latter providing the assist to Were as Zesco went on break leading 1-0.
In the second half, Dynamos came close to get the equaliser in the 49th minute when Willy’s effort from a free kick went over the bar.
Dynamos continued to put Zesco under pressure in search for the equaliser which almost came in the 51st minute when Collins Sikombe’s shot was saved by Otieno.
Chanda Mushili almost doubled Zesco United’s lead in the 55th minute but saw his effort going over the bar.
Numba introduced Enock Sakala for Winston Kalengo while Zimbabwean international Tafadwa Rusike replaced the injured Mukuka in the 68th minute.
Dynamos almost snatched the equaliser in the 75th minute but were unfortunate as Sikombe’s shot after some beautiful play, went wide as Zesco United held on to avenge their ABSA Cup final defeat to move eight points clear of second-placed Zanaco who were shocked 2-1 by relegation-bound Kitwe United on Saturday.
Meanwhile in the early kick off played at the same venue, Green Buffaloes thumped Power Dynamos 2-1 to move into ninth on the log with 41 points.
David Sakala had given Buffaloes an early lead when he broke the deadlock in the sixth minute.
Power Dynamos had to wait until the second half for team captain Benson Sakala to level matters in the 63rd minute.
Striker Friday Samu broke Power Dynamo’s hearts when he scored in the dying moments of the game to guarantee victory for Buffaloes.
