ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
ZESCO United were yesterday facing an imminent defeat at the hands of Green Buffaloes in a week six FAZ/MTN Super League fixture played at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium, Ndola.
With Green Buffaloes leading 0-1, ZESCO United head coach, Numba Mumamba courageously threw in 16-year-old Kasoma Luwawa at the expense of experienced Kenyan international striker, Jesse Were.
Mumamba started the game with 19-year-old Enock Sakala Jnr leading the front line for the former champions.
The nimble footed Luwawa did not take long to show why Mumamba had the audacity to pick youth ahead of experience.
Pacing on the right wing, Luwawa’s first exquisite cross into the box was an indication of what ZESCO United was missing in the match.
With Green Buffaloes defenders pinned back and ZESCO United gasping for life with only four minutes of added time remaining, the teenage affair paid dividends.
16-year-old Luwawa outpaced the Buffaloes defenders before dispatching a pin-point cross which was met by an alert 19-year-old Sakala who headed in ZESCO United’s equaliser.
Luwawa and Sakala joins a horde of ZESCO United’s young players who have thus far been given a chance by newly appointed head coach Mumamba to feature for the eight-times Zambian super league champions this season.
In his post-match comments, Mumamba reaffirmed his desire to give young players an opportunity to develop at the club.
“Today we have showed a lot of character after going down. This was a tough and evenly contested game. The players accounted for themselves very well and am hoping we can build on this.
The young players have shown that they are equal to the task. They have proved that because one created the opportunity for the other to score. We are trying to build a team by mixing both young and experienced players.”
Author: Desmond Katongo
The young players played well i breàthed after they scored a crucial goal was happy as well
Well done Zesco team that was so amazing.