Power, ZESCO Through To Next Round

MBABANE Swallows coach Mandla Dlamini has urged Zesco United players to improve on their endurance if they are to make an impact in the CAF Champions League.
And Zesco coach George Lwandamina is not worried with his strikers’ inaccuracy at goal in Saturday’s CAF Champions League preliminary round return leg that the Ndola side won 1-0.
Dlamini said at a briefing at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday that Zesco players lack endurance.
“I wouldn’t say much because I don’t know their next opponents but maybe because football is football, they can progress but there are certain areas they need to improve. Their physique is a bit suspect but if they can improve they can go far. In the second half we were all over them,” he said.
Midfielder Justin Zulu scored a cracker that saw Zesco proceed to the first round with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Zesco will face either Guinea’s AS Kaloum or Sewe Sport of Ivory Coast in the first round.
And Lwandamina is confident his strikers will shake the net soon.
He said the resumption of the Super Division will help fine-tune his team.
Zesco face Power Dynamos in the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield final this Saturday at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
“I think I am not frustrated because football is a game where you expect chances to be created and you cannot put away everything. We are coming from off-season. Definitely the game fitness is not hundred percent. What is important at this particular time is how many chances did we create, and if we can create chances, I am sure putting them away will come at some point,” Lwandamina said.
Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya is confident Zesco will make it to the group stage.
“I have every confidence that the team will progress. We want the team to go to the group stage and that is the target. Progress to the group stage and there is need for concerted effort of everybody. I would also like to congratulate the management at Zesco, the team is in good shape,” said Kalusha when addressing players and officials in the dressing room.
Zesco chairperson Kenneth Muteto said the team is targeting going all the way to the final.
“We have set ourselves a target and that target is reaching the final. We are aiming high and the technical bench has two weeks to prepare the team for the first round match,” Muteto said.
He said Swallows put up a strong challenge and Zesco expect difficult matches as they progress in the championship.

Posted by Editor on March 2, 2015. Filed under SPORTS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.