Sun, 11 Dec 2016 11:52:03 +0000
By Bennie Mundando
BARCLAYS Cup champions Zesco United yesterday secured a spot in next year’s Confederations cup ahead of 12-time league champions Nkana after beating Lumwana Radiants 2-0 in the concluding fixture of the league.
This is despite Nkana’s 1-0 win to Forest Rangers which has seen them move to third position on the log with 70 points, two less of Zesco.
Lumwana looked like potential party-spoilers for the power utility company-sponsored outfit when they took the game to the visitors as Nkana supporters who had gone to cheer the North-Western Province outfits roared on.
The first half saw Zesco soaking the pressure from Lumwana who were motivated by Nkana supporters who provided them with an extra motivation to win the match which would have meant the Red Devils to represent Zambia in continental football next year.
Both teams went into their final matches with a two-point difference which meant that if Zesco stuttered, Nkana would have finished second on the log and consequently qualified for the Confederation Cup.
After enduring a torrid first half in which neither of the team found the back of the net, Zesco found their footing and banged two second half goals through Lazarous Kambole and Benard Mapili to end the season on 72 points to finish ahead of Nkana.
The result means Zanaco and the Zesco will be Zambia’s continental flag bearers in continental football next year in the Confederations of African Football (CAF) and Confederations cup respectively and the later will fancy their chances of breaking more records after reaching the semi-finals in the CAF tournament this year where they were eliminated by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.
