MUMAMBA DELIVERS CHRISTMAS PRESENT AS DEFENDING LEAGUE CHAMPIONS SECURES ABSA CUP QUALIFICATION

Zambian Super League defending champions ZESCO United this afternoon beat Prison Leopards 0-1 at the Godfrey Ucar Chitalu stadium to secure Absa Cup qualification.

Today’s victory also means that the champions are now two points behind current league leaders, Green Buffaloes who have 30 points from 17 games while the former has 28 from 17 games.

It has been a rollercoaster start to the 2021/22 league season for Mumamba and his lads whose objective to defend the title has yet again come alive.

A 16’ minute Enock Sakala goal ensured that ZESCO United kickstart the festive season in champagne style.

Mumamba carried a lean ZESCO United side owing to injuries and illnesses that have plagued his side.

The ZESCO United gaffer returned Ian Otieno between the sticks with Samson Banda deputizing the Kenyan.

At the back, Clement Mwape, Solomon Sakala, Samson Mkandawire and Fackson Kapumbu ensured that Leopards Strikers didn’t see light at the end of the tunnel.

Dickson Chapa played behind the attacking midfielders who were led by Tafadzwa Rusike, Spencer Sautu and Samuel Sikaonga.

Young Enock Sakala returned his place in the squad after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Sakala was supported by Kenyan international striker Jesse Jackson Were in tormenting the Leopards defense.

ZESCO United’s substitute bench showed the challenges that Mumamba was facing.

Apart from John Chishimba who has been a regular in the side, the rest of the six substitutes have hardly made the first eleven this season.

ZESCO United started the first half charging for an early goal against a Prison Leopards side hoping to repeat last season’s 3-0 victory.

The first opportunity of the game came in the 7^’ minute when Fackson Kapumbu unlocked a powerful long range shot that almost caught Leopards goalkeeper Jeff Lungu off his line.

Prison Leopards responded with Langson Kampumbu whose shot outside the visitors penalty box went over the bar.

It took the league champions 16’ minutes to take the lead following a sumptuous corner from Spencer Sautu which was chested in by Enock Sakala to give the visitors the only goal of the game.

Kenyan international striker Jesse Were came inches close following a Mkandawire freekick which the former only needed to tap in to double the lead.

Zacharia Chilongoshi came close in the 33’ minute to getting an equalizer only to be denied by an Otieno’s brilliant save.

Lunchanga was the culprit of the day missing a glorious opportunity to level matters for the hosts with a sumptuous close-range header that went inches wide.

The champions ended the first half having religiously protected Sakala’s 16’ minute goal.

Prison Leopards started the second half pumped up with confidence to get an early goal against a ZESCO United side that was too determined to get three points out of the game.

In the 56’ minute Luchanga yet again found himself alone with only Otieno to beat but his header went over the bar.

Rusike was the next culprit to miss a glorious chance to double the lead for the visitors unfortunately for the Zimbabwean he could not make contact with Mkandawires sumptuous cross.

With ZESCO United doing much of the defending, Mumamba decided to remove Rusike for Luwawa Kasoma.

However, it was Zulu who came agonizingly close in the 64’ minute to getting an equalizer but Otieno pulled off a great save.

Sensing fatigue in his first XI, Mumamba decided to put faith in his young stars that were patiently waiting for an opportunity to shine before the Christmas break.

In the 72’ Benson Mulenga came in for Were while Dryson Phiri replaced Enock Sakala.

These changes brought energy to the ZESCO United side which was fighting hard to ensure that they claim three maximum points.

Prison Leopards came close in the 93’ minute of the second half only for Lungu to see his vicious shot go wide.

With only a week to the opening of the transfer window, Mumamba will be extremely busy to ensure that he secures the much-needed reinforcement to his side.

The ZESCO United gaffer will be a happy man having secured Absa Cup qualification and a second position on the league table.

Author: Desmond Katongo