Buildcon coach Tenant Chembo is set for his first meeting against Zesco United when they meet in Wednesday’s derby date at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Chembo walked out on the six-time champions after he guided them to the 2017 league title but the long-serving former assistant was not given the job on a permanent basis at the start of the 2018 campaign.
But Chembo sdoes not believe it will be a grudge match and is looking forward to the reunion.
“Not really, I am an Ndola resident; we feed from the same pot, so it isn’t really,” Chembo said.
“Each and every game is a different game, it is going to be a local derby and we have respect for Zesco.
“What is important is to prepare ourselves, we need to plan well, it’s a battle, and we are going for a battle.
“They are playing well, their morale is high in camp but we just have to go and absorb the pressure that they will throw at us.”
Chembo has steered Buildcon from bottom of the log when he took over after losing their opening three games and are now 10th on 31 points, twenty behind Zesco.
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And Zesco have admitted that Chembo will pose an interesting challenge to their ten-match unbeaten run.
“Tenant is our son, he comes from Zesco, so of course he knows us, and we know him, it is going to be a tough game,” Zesco assistant coach Alfred Lupiya said.
“It will also be a fair game but we will put in everything. We will go an extra mile, and we know they too will put in that extra mile, but we will go that extra-extra mile.”
Meanwhile, twenty points separate 9th placed Buildcon and leaders Zesco who have 31 and 51 points and are unbeaten in their last five and ten league matches respectively.
Furthermore, Zesco are undefeated against Buildcon with two wins and a draw since the latter made their FAZ Super Division debut in 2017.
