UNITED STUN ARROWS AS SIKOMBE BAGS HATTRICK

Forgive us for producing this match report two days after an overwhelming 0-3 victory over Red Arrows. We took what we can term as a healthy pause.

We have spent the last two days searching for the right verbs, adverbs, nouns, adjectives, synonyms, pronouns to describe what transpired at Nkoloma stadium on Saturday.

This victory was as big as Manchester United’s win over their fiercest rivals Manchester City.

ZESCO United’s win over the Airmen echoed across the Zambian football sphere. United players and fans danced and hugged each other after the final whistle. It was as if the Ndola based league outfit had won a tenth title.

Remember your first love! How it felt to finally get a nod from that girl you had chased endlessly. That’s the joy which came with Collins Sikombe’s hattrick.

United players and fans had every right to sing and dance in front of the home team’s supporters.

For one to appreciate what this win meant, one must take a close look at what has happened at ZESCO United in the last six months.

It has been a traumatizing start to the season for ZESCO United and its dedicated followers.

An early exit from the CAF Confederations Cup compounded with sporadic results in the league has left this once force of the Zambian game a shadow of itself.

At week 17, ZESCO United were already out of the race for a place in the 2023 Absa Cup competition.

This spate of bad results forced club management to take drastic changes which has seen the return of George Lwandamina as club head coach, while Tenant Chilumba is first assistant coach.

Former Zambia National Team Head coach, Honour Janza has taken over the role of Technical Director. These have been elite recruitments for the nine-times Super league champions.

Saturday’s game was a meeting between two giants who for the last three seasons have been on each other’s throats.

Last season, Red Arrows claimed their second league title triumph, denying ZESCO United an opportunity to win a tenth championship.

Early in the season, Red Arrows recorded a crucial 1-0 away victory over ZESCO United completing a third successive win over the Ndola based league giants in the last two seasons.

Saturday’s week 19 fixture was an assembly of two sides who are currently laboring to stamp authority on the league.

ZESCO United are a club in transition. The nine times league champions are currently fighting to shake off the hangover of an early exit from CAF Confederations Cup and a bad start to the 2022/23 season which has seen them drop inches above the relegation zone.

Red Arrows on the other hand has been a shadow of a side that a season ago usurped ZESCO United from the league throne.

United came into the weekends fixture desperately searching for a victory after drawing 1-all against Prison Leopards while Red Arrows were humiliated by Napsa by 3-1 score line.

It was Lwandamina’s second match in charge of ZESCO United after he took over the reigns at the club last month.

Lwandamina deployed a 4-3-3 system with Ian Otieno manning the sticks while Simon Silwimba, John Chishimba, Solomon Sakala and Dennis Nya anchored the backline.

Kelvin Kapumbu effectively provided cover behind the attacking midfielders which consisted of Collins Sikombe, Chanda Mukuka and Songa Chipyoka.

Nigerian striker, Jimoh Wasiu started ahead of Enock Sakala and Vincent Oburu.

Lwandamina’s plan was quickly foiled after Wasiu pulled a muscle in the 3’ minute of the first half.

Kenyan international striker, Vincent Oburu was given the responsibility to lead ZESCO United’s frontline.

The first opportunity of the game came in the 7’ minute through a Kelvin Kapumbu long range shot which was saved by Kenny Mumba.

Red Arrows responded in style with a 14’ minute Joseph Phiri powerful close-range header which was expertly saved by Ian Otieno.

The Airmen mounted massive pressure on the United backline as they continued to search for an opener.

Otieno once again pulled off an excellent save to deny Tshimenga from putting the hosts ahead with a powerful header.

The first 45’ minutes failed to produce a goal with the home side having created more goalscoring opportunities.

Red Arrows started the second half gunning for an opener unfortunately Phiri’s 49’ minute header went inches wide.

ZESCO United biggest chance of the game came in the 55’ minute with Oburu finding himself face-to-face with Mumba unfortunately the Kenyan’s shot went agonizingly wide.

That miss was the last contribution from Oburu who was swiftly replaced by Enock Sakala while John Chingandu gave way for Kelvin Kampamba.

Lwandamina’s changes suddenly paid off with Sikombe opening the deadlock in the 66’ minute.

The former Lusaka Dynamos hitman unlocked a powerful close range shot which took a huge deflection leaving Mumba helpless.

A 67’ minute quick interchange of passes between Sakala and Sikombe left the latter face to face with Mumba before slotting in a second.

Sikombe rounded off his hattrick of the day after dispatching the third goal for the visitors from the spot kick.

ZESCO United will be hoping to build on this win as they shift focus towards Saturdays week 20 clash against Nkwazi.

Author: Desmond Katongo