Five-Star Zesco United Overturn 2-0 Deficit to Qualify in Style
Zesco United produced a five-star performance at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Sunday, thrashing Canon 105 Libreville of Gabon 5-0 in the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup Preliminary Round second leg.
The emphatic victory saw the Ndola giants overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit to qualify 5-2 on aggregate and book their spot in the next round of the competition.
The hosts wasted no time in setting the tone, with David Simukonda finding the back of the net as early as the 4th minute. Just two minutes later, captain Kabaso Chongo doubled the advantage, sparking belief that the comeback was on.
Veteran striker Alex Ngonga added a third in the 40th minute to give Zesco a commanding lead at halftime. The momentum carried into the second half when Kelvin Mubanga Kampamba coolly converted from the penalty spot in the 64th minute. Moroccan forward Amine Haiver then put the icing on the cake with a late strike in the 87th minute, sealing a memorable night for the Zega Mambo faithful.
With qualification secured, Zesco United will now face Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy in the next round. Galaxy progressed after eliminating Malawi’s Mighty Wanderers on post-match penalties in their second-leg encounter yesterday.
The tie promises to be a stern test for Zesco, but on the evidence of Sunday’s dominant display, the Ndola side will fancy their chances of going further in the continental competition.
