DYNAMITE KAMBOLE UPBEAT AFTER LOAN MOVE

How does it feel to be back home?  “It feels great to be back home. I am happy and excited, just looking forward to the challenge,” Lazarus Kambole said.

Lazarus Kambole only needed 36’ minutes to overcome the challenge of returning to the Zambian league, rekindling his love for the Zambian game and reigniting wonderful memories in ZESCO United faithful fans who had made the journey from as far as Lusaka to watch their team play against Lumwana Radiants in Solwezi.

Kambole who secured a six-months loan move from Tanzanian giants Young Africans to ZESCO United scored a debut goal for TeamYaziko in Saturdays 1-1 draw against Lumwana Radiants in the MTN Super League week 21 fixture played at Lumwana stadium, Solwezi.

The 29-year-old exciting attacking midfielder played a critical role in making ZESCO United one of the most feared club sides in Africa for his prolific knack for goals before he made a move away from Zambia to South African giants Kaizer Chiefs.

His return to ZESCO United though short, is expected to galvanize the Ndola based league side who have had a turbulent start to the 2022/23 league campaign.

“It is very much possible to reignite the past glory days because we have a lot of quality in the team. We understand each other very well. I have played with John and Simone so they know my movements and I know their movements. It will be easy to work together and get the results,” he said.

There are those who have viewed ZESCO United’s decision to return the services of Kambole as a sign of desperation. And there is a cross section of football followers who doubt Kambole’s ability to once again turn Levy Mwanawasa stadium into the slaughter house it once was.

These fears are understood especially for those who may want to judge the exciting winger based on his exploits in South Africa where he hardly settled. However, you will be making a big mistake to underrate Kambole’s ability to once again rewrite his glory chapter at ZESCO United.

“The only way to handle pressure is to work hard. If you work hard, your work will show on the field. I am working very hard and hoping for the best. Football is  just the same. Most the guys that I have found here, I knew them from afar but I have an opportunity to play with them.

“With the quality that I have found in the team, it is hard to understand why we are on the position we currently are. We are going to work hard and I am going to bring in my experience and hoping for the best,” Kambole added.

Kambole’s intelligent moves on, and off the ball; his brilliant ability to anticipate passes, dispatch goals at the tiniest of opportunities were on show in Solwezi.

It is also critical to remind sceptics that there was once a time when life at ZESCO United revolved around Kambole. Kambole was ZESCO United and vice-versa.

Kambole was the Prince that needed no recognition from any Royal family. He mesmerized on the pitch and delivered match winning goals that further lifted ZESCO United’s status as a force to reckon with both at domestic and international level.

“For me there is nothing like am new here. The environment and the guys I have played with before like John Chingandu and Donashano Malama just to mention a few. I feel home. Coach George Lwandamina is also like a father to me. As such there is no difference. I have adapted very well,” Kambole said.

The wizardly wingers exploits in TeamYaziko colours, however only came to fruition 4-years after switching loyalty from Konkola Blades to ZESCO United in 2014.

Kambole had labored to find his shooting boots after joining a forest of gifted and experienced players. He was one for the future.

Veteran freelance sports journalist, Kalumiana Kalumiana, once penned Kambole’s evolution in the game from a nascent winger into one of the most feared players at domestic and international level.

Kambole’s ascendance to stardom started in 2018 when then Chipolopolo coach Wedson Nyirenda threw him straight into the spotlight at 2018 CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament in Morocco  in January of that  year, explains Kalumiana.

Without any senior or junior experience, Kambole made an explosive international debut on January 14, 2018 with a goal in a 3-1 win over Uganda to score his first of two in the competition.

He ended 2018 as Chipolopolo’s top scorer with six goals, two more than Shonga after scoring one during the Four-Nations Tournament held in March that year when host Zambia finished runners up to South Africa.

Kambole then scored another three  at  the  2018  COSAFA  Cup  with  the highlight coming in  the final when  he netted a brace  Chipolopolo’s  4-2 loss  to Zimbabwe in Polokwane.

But the departure of  Nyirenda in  June ,2018   saw  Kambole’s Chipolopolo career  take a dive after Sven  Vandenbroeck took over from the  former  that  saw the striker out of  favour with  the Belgian-born coach.

However, it did little to affect Kambole’s club form where he was ZESCO United’s second highest top scorer on 10 goals, three behind Kenyan Jesse Were.

Kambole and Were’s  goals helped  ZESCO United retain  the  league title  for a second successive season and  collect  their  seventh  in  the  clubs history.

That same season, Kambole also scored another seven in the 2018 CAF Champions League that saw him finish as Zambia’s top scorer in continental competition last year.

The highlight of that 2018 continental campaign saw Kambole record the quickest hat trick in the CAF Champions League history in a 3-0 away group stage win over Mbabane Swallows in eSwatini on August 18.

In 2019, Kambole was again Zambia’s top scorer in the 2018/2019 CAF competition with another seven goals.

One of those goals was against his  future  employers ,Chiefs , a 3-0 home win at Levy Mwanawasa   Stadium in Ndola on January  13 in a CAF  Confederation Cup pre-group stage  first leg  fixture.

It is this history that gave ZESCO United management the confidence to pursue the winger on a short-term commitment.

Kambole may just be the difference that ZESCO United need to mount a serious challenge in the league and create a team that can once again put fear in Zambian teams.

Author: Desmond Katongo