Zesco United face a ghost from their recent past when they host Forest Rangers in the Ndola derby at Levy Mwanawaswa Stadium on Thursday.
Forest is the only side to have beaten the defending FAZ Super Division champions in the league this season following a 1-0 home win at the same venue on May 11.
That victory was also Forest coach Patrick Phiri’s first game in charge but he remains very wary of Zesco despite that win four months ago.
“It will be an uphill battle and we just have to prepare ourselves for a tough match,” Phiri said.
Things got rosy for Forest after that win picking up just two defeats from their subsequent eight games before going into the two-week mid-season break in early July.
However, Forest have failed to continue with that momentum and won just one of their last six games picking up a total of four points since returning from the mid-term recess.
Meanwhile, the game will be the first of two Zesco will play including an away date against Mufulira Blackpool on Sunday before hosting Mamelodi Sundowns on September 17 in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semifinal.
