MATCH PREVIEW: ZESCO UNITED, LWANDAMINA FACE OFF AS STUDENT FACES MENTOR

It has been over two-years since ZESCO United and veteran coach George Lwandamina mutually ended their marriage.

Like every relationship that ends on mutual separation, ZESCO United quickly sweet talked their way to Mumamba Numba’s heart, consenting to a 3-year marriage.

Lwandamina on the other hand decided to take a sabbatical leave from the game for almost a year before resurfacing in Tanzania where he exchanged vows with AZAM FC.

ZESCO United’s blissful marriage to Numba mutually ended last week following the club’s elimination from the 2022/23 CAF Confederations Cup competition at preliminary stage.

Numba departed having successfully delivered a ninth league title but failed to sail past the preliminary rounds of the 2021/22 CAF Champions League and 2022/2023 CAF Confederations Cup respectively.

Lwandamina’s time in Tanzania also ended abruptly after failing to make the same impact he had initially made at Young Africans and ZESCO United respectively.

ZESCO United will tomorrow come face to face with Lwandamina when the nine times league champions face Kabwe Warriors in the MTN Super League week ten fixture scheduled for the Godfrey Ucar Chitalu stadium.

The veteran gaffer recently consented to a two-year marriage with the Railway men at the start of the 2022/23 season. This will arguably be the weekends most talked about fixture for varying reasons.

ZESCO United will travel to Kabwe without acting head coach Alfred Lupiya who was shown a red card by FAZ referee Milton Mweemba in a midweek fixture which the Ndola based side drew 1-1 against MUZA FC.

Lupiya’s absence has left club physical trainer and goalkeeper coach Winston Kalengo and Jacob Banda with the challenge of facing one the country’s most experienced tactician and their onetime mentor.

Meanwhile Lwandamina and Kabwe Warriors will come into tomorrow’s game under pressure for victory after recording consecutive losses against Power Dynamos and Napsa Stars respectively.

If football matches were determined by the vastness of experience on a team’s technical bench, then Kabwe Warriors would have easily walked away with three points.

Lwandamina’s challenge however will be to outdo his former players who will be hoping to shepherd a talented ZESCO United side to victory. The stage is set for the battle of minds between student and mentor.

Author: Desmond Katongo