Zesco United on Thursday head to West Africa for the second time in 30 days after earlier disposing Africa Sports of Cote d’Ivoire in the Caf African Champions League 1st round.
This time, Zesco travel north of the border into Mali to face Djoliba in Bamako on Sunday in a Caf African Champions League 2nd round, 1st leg match with kickoff scheduled for 18:00 Zambian time.
This will be Djoliba’s first match against a Zambia club in African club competition since 1982 when they lost to Power Dynamos in the semifinals of the defunct Caf Cup Winners Cup.
Meanwhile, Zesco will be without defender Roger Kamwandi due suspension while fullback Hichani Himoonde is fit after featuring in the sides last two league games following his recovery from a broken metatarsal that he sustained last December.
Winner will qualify to the lucrative group stage of the African Champions League while the loser will be relegated to the last 16 stage of the Confederations Cup that kicks off during the weekend of May 15-17.
Zesco reached the 2nd round stage after beating Africa Sports 2-0 on aggregate on April 4 in their 1st round, return leg match played at the Trade Fair Grounds in Ndola following a scoreless draw in the 1st leg played in Abidjan on March 14.
Meanwhile, Red Arrows left for Egypt on Wednesday ahead of their Caf Confederations Cup 2nd round, 1st leg match against Egyptian club ENPPI in Cairo on Sunday.
Winner will advance to the pre-group stage of the competition that kicks off during there weekend of May 15-17.
Zesco Team:
Goalkeepers: Jacob Banda, Charles Chisha
Defenders: William Chinyama, Chalwe Kabamba, Hichani Himoonde, Nyambe Mulenga, Kunda Mushota
Midfielder: Yona Mwango, Mathews Chikwete, George Phiri, Lotti Phiri, Maybin Mwaba, Josphat Nkhoma, Jonas Sakuwaha
Strikers: Enoch Sakala, Ben Martins, Nicholas Zulu, Clifford Chipalo
Wishing you guys all the best
ZESCO remember that you are carrying the Zambian Flag. Never should you think that you are Sisala’s boys. The way you did it last time you can aloso did it this tme.
Arrow, get the same davise we have geven to ZESICILO TEAM YA DZIKO
speak nice english kaponya. you want to be grey zulu wo said if zaire did it, why can;t we did it. zesco united play good football, it will be turf but you can win this game if you take it seriously.
Go Zesco,GO!
We are wishing the boys good lucky as they play there first leg match against Djoliba of Mali. Thanx to Zesco management for supporting the Team Officials and the entrie team.
To the team we are confident that Zesco will be the first team to play in the CAF champions league. Go eletricity boys go and eletrocute Djoliba we are behind you.
Congratulations Zesco Utd F C for holding Djoliba to a goal less draw at home. Well done boys and all the best as we play them on 2nd May, 2009