ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
ZESCO United this afternoon beat Buildcon Football Club 3-1 in the FAZ/MTN Super League week 17 fixtures played at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium, Ndola.
Coach Numba Mumamba emphasized on the need to win today’s game following last week’s disappointing 1-0 away defeat at the hands of Young Green Eagles.
In his pre-match comments, Mumamba spelt out his strategy ahead of today’s victory, anchored largely on good attacking football.
True to his words, Mumamba named a very strong attack minded ZESCO United side with Kelvin Kampamba, Thabani Kamusoko and John Ching’andu loitering in the middle of the park.
Winston Kalengo and Jesse Were were given the responsibility to unlock the Buildcon defense.
At the back, Mumamba was buoyed by the return of Simon Silwimba and Mwila Phiri supported by Clement Mwape, and Adrian Chama.
Midfield genius Chanda Mukuka was deployed to add flavor to the Ndola based league giants attacking system.
Mumamba’s plan was to unsettle and eventually unlock Buildcon in the first few minutes of the game. Unfortunately for the ZESCO United gaffer, it was Buildcon who first broke the deadlock with a 7’ minutes strike from Najeeb Abbas.
Abbas tapped in at close range to beat Ian Otieno after Erick Owusu’s corner was diverted into the path of Ching’andu, who almost scored an own goal only to be saved by Otieno; unfortunately for the later, Abbas was lurking to score Buildcons only goal of the game.
Buildcons goal unsettled ZESCO United but the hosts’ quickly adjusted gears before mounting massive pressure on the visitors.
In the 18’ minute Jesse Were was denied by Tresor Ndjana after an interchange of passes with Kelvin Kampamba only for the Kenyan to shoot straight at the legs of the Buildcon custodian.
ZESCO United continued to surge forward and in the 23’ minute, Zimbabwean international midfielder, Thabani Kamusoko restored parity for the hosts.
The Zimbabwean maestro, pounced on a Kampamba corner before beating Ndjana at the far the post. ZESCO United and Buildcon ended the first half on a stalemate.
In the second half, ZESCO United took matters to Buildcon in search of a second goal.
It was not shocking that the hosts took the lead after five minutes of the restart after Brian Mwila misjudged the movement of the ball from Kampamba’s delightful free-kick only to head in his own net.
In the 55th minute, Kampamba came close to adding a 3rd goal for ZESCO United unfortunately his ferocious free-kick came off the cross bar and further ricocheted off the back of Ndjana before rolling out for a corner.
The hosts continued to prey on the visitors defense with Kalengo coming very close to adding a 3rd in the 79’ minute unfortunately his shot was saved by Ndjana.
In the 87’ minute Enock Sakala came on for Were with Mumamba searching for a third goal.
It only took the young striker three minutes on the pitch to put the game beyond Buildcons reach after scoring a delightful goal beating Ndjana to add a 3rd for ZESCO United.
Today’s result has pushed ZESCO United to 3rd place on the log table with 28 points apiece with second placed Forest Rangers with the former having played a game less.
Author: Desmond Katongo
