Zesco United begin their historic campaign in the lucrative stage of the Caf African Champions League on Saturday when they host Kano Pillars of Nigeria in both sides opening Group A match.
Both clubs will be making their debut in the group stage of the tournament and each is hoping to making a great impression on match-day one when they clash at Konkola Stadium in Chililabombwe.
Moreover, Zesco and Pillars are both unbeaten since they began their Caf African Champions League campaigns in preliminary and first round engagements respectively.
Zesco face the possible prospect of missing midfielder Jonas Sakuwaha who only returns home from trials with French Ligue 1 side Lorient on the eve of the match on Friday.
They also have defensive worries and will without left-back William Chinyama through injury.
However, Zesco’s top scorer in the competition and striker Enoch Sakala on four goals is fit and is expected to lead the home sides attack.
Coach Fighton Simukonda’s team are unbeaten at home where they have won in all their last three games played in this years competition.
Meanwhile, they face Pillars who are on a trailblazing run in the Caf African Champions League campaign in their debut appearance in continental club competition.
Pillars have shown they are the team to watch in this years competition especially after causing seismic waves in the pre-group stage when they eliminated defending champions and record 6-time African club champions Al Ahly of Egypt.
Pillars knocked out Al Ahly 3-3 on aggregate to reach the group stage on the away goals rule.
However, Pillars have yet to win a single match in the Caf African Champions League with four draws since entering the competition in March when they disposed of AS Douanes of Senegal also on away goals rule.
They drew 1-1 away in Dakar and 0-0 at home in Nigeria and know they must improve although coach Ivo Sahj is confident his side can pick up their first Caf African Champions League win this weekend.
“The players know the importance of this game. So they are prepared for it,” Sahj said.
Zesco has no significance to the success of the National Team. What is significant is improving the standards of our KCM league.
It has a lot of significancy,evry club does.we need mo playrs to hav a try in such competitions therefore exposin them and jes the fact they playd in such is gr8 mntivation and thats wat we nid in zed.hell we supply mo playrz to the national team than any club.we wiring kano 2moro.TEAM YA ZIKO NI ZEE.
You guys are good at power cuts and power outages. Please power cut these guys for Zambia.
go zesco go i think sakuwaha is an asset if he is not messed up by agents with shoody deals
Ba zambia kano pillars tizapitapo che faaa…we dnt evn nid 2 do the power cut on them.hahahaha. Ma truth,yes sakuwaha is a gr8 playr we rily nid that boy.bt am sure we can play without if God forbids,he doznt play. I hav jes got to likin our coach,am stil a wedson nyerinda fan.he made zesco.
Football is not played with the mouth