ZESCO Ndola Girls have started the new campaign with silverware after defeating Green Buffaloes Women’s Football Club 2-1 to win the 2026 ZPL Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Women’s Charity Shield.
The reigning ZPL Women’s Super League champions produced a dominant first-half display to establish a two-goal advantage before surviving a late Green Buffaloes fightback to secure the trophy. The victory gives the Zegalicious Girls an early boost as they begin their new campaign with another piece of silverware.
ZESCO took the lead in the 13th minute when Elizabeth Mupeso produced a superb long-range strike that beat Green Buffaloes goalkeeper Aisha Gama and put the champions in front.
The Zegalicious Girls doubled their advantage just 13 minutes later. Fridah Kabwe rose to meet a cross from Mable Bwalya and headed home from close range to make it 2-0.
Green Buffaloes responded by pushing forward in search of a way back into the contest, but ZESCO remained organised and continued to control much of the proceedings.
Their best opening of the first half came after the half-hour mark when Evarine Susan Katongo made a determined run towards the ZESCO penalty area before sending a searching ball into the box for Ethel Chinyerere. However, Chinyerere could not make clean contact and ZESCO goalkeeper Annie Namonje gathered comfortably.
ZESCO continued to threaten after the interval as they looked to put the contest beyond Buffaloes. Charity Mubanga forced Gama into a save, while Mila Milambo came close when her spinning half-volley drifted narrowly wide.
Green Buffaloes refused to give up and eventually found a breakthrough in the 85th minute.
Agnes Phiri delivered a dangerous cross into the ZESCO penalty area, with Chinyerere reacting quickest. She beat Namonje before rounding the goalkeeper and calmly finishing into an empty net to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
The late goal gave Buffaloes renewed hope of completing a comeback, but ZESCO Ndola Girls remained composed during the closing stages and held on to secure the victory.
The result sees the Zegalicious Girls add the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Women’s Charity Shield to their status as reigning ZPL Women’s Super League champions, giving them a perfect start to the new campaign.
For Green Buffaloes, the late response provided encouragement, but they ultimately fell short after ZESCO’s strong first-half performance created a deficit they could not overturn.
2026 ZPL Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Women’s Charity Shield
ZESCO Ndola Girls 2-1 Green Buffaloes WFC
ZESCO Ndola Girls: Elizabeth Mupeso 13’, Fridah Kabwe 26’
Green Buffaloes WFC: Ethel Chinyerere 85’
