ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
Forest Rangers Coach, Tenant Chilumba has become the first manager to dent Numba Mumamba’s start to life at ZESCO United following the former’s 0-1 victory over the latter in the FAZ/MTN Super league week two fixture played at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium.
The 2020/2021 CAF Champions League envoys have for the last four seasons made it a ritual to beat ZESCO United on their own turf.
ZESCO United last beat Forest Rangers at home in 2016 through a David Odhiambo lone goal.
The subsequent years have seen a massive swing in the pendulum with Rangers dominating the fixture.
ZESCO United head coach Numba Mumamba was determined to undo the curse that has haunted the eight times super league champions whenever they meet their town rivals.
Mumamba started with the same side that played some beautiful and enterprising football against Napsa Stars.
However, this was a game that was always going to be won by those with the character to withstand the pressures that comes with playing in the derby.
The two sides expressed great respect for each other in the first proceedings of the game.
However, Forest Rangers were the first to break that mutual respect in the 3’ minute when former ZESCO United striker Quadri Kola found himself alone inside the United penalty box but his effort went off target.
ZESCO United’s first chance on target came in the 22’ minute when Bruce Musakanya and Winstone Kalengo beautifully combined with the latter laying the ball in the path of Were whose shot went off target.
In the 25’ minute ZESCO United were yet again given an opportunity to test Forest Rangers goalkeeper Kigonya Mathias from a Kelvin Kampamba free-kick.
Forest Rangers turned Kampamba’s blocked free-kick into a swift attack which caught ZESCO United midfielders and defenders by surprise.
A long ball from the back found Kola outside the ZESCO United penalty box whose only stumbling block was Simone Silwimba. Kola squared the pass to an unmarked Adam Zikiru whose perfectly timed and executed header beat Ian Otieno.
The first goal motivated Forest Rangers to press forward. In the 33’ minute, Otieno was called into action after a powerful shot from Kola.
Minutes later, Otieno made another heart stopping save at close range to thwart Zikiru from doubling the lead.
In the 45’ minute Kampamba struck a powerful free-kick which was tipped over the bar by Mathias.
The second half started with ZESCO United determined to unlock the Forest Rangers backline. However, Rangers controlled most of the proceedings with Zikiru and Kola proving quite a menace to the ZESCO United backline.
In the 58’ Kola yet again tested Otieno with a powerful shot which the latter comfortably saved.
Mumamba decided to withdraw Logic Chingandu, Simone Silwimba, Kampamba and Were. In their places came, John Makwata, David Odhaimbo, John Chinga’ndu and David Molinga.
Despite making these changes, Forest Rangers held on to the lead and came close to scoring a second in the 76’ minute with Zikiru whose shot at close range went over the bar.
ZESCO United strikers found it difficult to unlock the Forest Rangers backline which had managed to limit United’s chances on target throughout the game.
ZESCO United will be determined to record their first victory when they meet Lumwana Radiants on Saturday in the FAZ/MTN week three fixture scheduled for Solwezi.
Author: Desmond Katongo
