Zesco Thrash Kaizer Chiefs, Sealing Perfect Weekend For Zambian Clubs
14th January 2019
Kenyans Gor Mahia had hopes of a second successive Confederation Cup group appearance reduced when they won only 2-1 against New Star from Cameroon in Nairobi
- Zesco United defeated South Africa visitors Kaizer Chiefs 3-1 Sunday to complete a successful weekend for Zambian clubs in the first legs of CAF Confederation Cup play-offs
- Nkana trounced San Pedro from the Ivory Coast 3-0 Saturday and the chances of both Zambian representatives reaching the group stage after the return matches next weekend look good
- Zesco went furthest in a CAF competition three years ago by reaching the Champions League semi-finals before losing to another South African club, Mamelodi Sundowns
JOHANNESBURG, South
Africa- Zesco United defeated South Africa visitors Kaizer Chiefs 3-1
Sunday to complete a successful weekend for Zambian clubs in the first legs of
CAF Confederation Cup play-offs.
Nkana trounced San Pedro from the Ivory Coast 3-0 Saturday
and the chances of both Zambian representatives reaching the group stage after
the return matches next weekend look good.
Lazarous Kambole, whose five-minute hat-trick last season is
the fastest in a CAF club match, put Zesco ahead midway through the opening
half in Ndola.
Kenyan Jesse Were soon doubled the lead before Zimbabwean
Khama Billiat halved the deficit just before half-time.
Were netted again early in the second half and Billiat had a
goal ruled offside before the normally clinical Kambole missed a sitter for the
home side.
Zesco went furthest in a CAF competition three years ago by
reaching the Champions League semi-finals before losing to another South
African club, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs won the now defunct African Cup Winners Cup in 2001,
but have made no impact in continental competitions since.
The return match in the African equivalent of the UEFA
Europa League will be in Soweto this Saturday and Nkana play in Abidjan 24
hours later.
Asante Kotoko, runners-up to fellow Ghanaians Hearts of Oak
in the first Confederation Cup final 15 years ago, are poised to advance after
a 3-2 win over Coton Sport in Cameroon.
The Kumasi outfit twice built two-goal advantages in Yaounde
before a 71st-minute Lambert Araina goal for the home side set up a tense
finish.
Tuyisenge goal
Nigerians Enugu Rangers, the African Cup Winners Cup
trophy-holders 42 years ago, are also well placed thanks to a 2-1 victory over
Bantu in Lesotho capital Maseru.
Bright Silas and Godwin Aguda scored their fourth goals in
the competition this season for Rangers before Lazola Jokojokwana pulled one
back in the final minute.
Egyptians Zamalek, whose last of nine CAF titles came in
2003, held Ittihad Tanger to a 0-0 draw in Morocco and confirmed that they are
favourites to win the tie on aggregate.
Kenyans Gor Mahia had hopes of a second successive
Confederation Cup group appearance reduced when they won only 2-1 against New
Star from Cameroon in Nairobi.
Rwandan Jacques Tuyisenge scored the winner three minutes
from time, but conceding an equaliser to Benjamin Bechem midway through the
second half may come back to haunt Gor.
Away goals count double in the event of a draw on aggregate
and a 1-0 win for the Cameroonians in Limbe will take them through.
AS Otoho from Congo Brazzaville and Sudanese Al Hilal
established 3-0 home leads over Kampala Capital City Authority from Uganda and
Rwandans Mukura Victory respectively.
Moroccans Hassania Agadir appear set to feature in the
January 21 group draw in Cairo after Zouhair Chaouch scored in a 1-0 win over
Ethiopians Jimma Aba Jifar in Addis Ababa.
Less obvious is which club will emerge overall winners in
the tie between Libyans Al Nasr and giantkillers Salitas from Burkina Faso, who
shocked Egyptians Al Masry last month.
The north Africans took a slender 1-0 lead after a first leg
moved from Benghazi to Cairo because of the security situation in Libya.