Zesco United are back in business after beating Buildcon 2-1 on Wednesday to win their first competitive game in 2020.
The victory comes after a four-match losing run by the defending FAZ Super Division champions since the start of 2020 that saw them tumble from first to fourth on the table after losing three league matches in that process.
And the match also saw Zesco coach George Lwandamina face his former player at Green Buffaloes and later assistant coach at Young Africans in Tanzania Noel Mwandila who is now Buildcon coach.
Zesco took a 1-0 lead into the break when Eric Kabulo deflected David Owino cross into his own net in the 27th minute.
Winston Kalengo scored Zesco’s last goal in the 57th minute when he headed-in Mwila Phiri’s cross to take his tally for the season to six league goals and is now just four goals behind joint leader and club mate Jesse Were.
But Buildcon snatched a consolation in the 82nd minute through midfielder Mpho Mathekgane after the South African had replaced Joseph Kanema in the 53rd minute.
The win lifts Zesco to third place, with two games in hand, exchanging places with Nkana on goal difference on 34 points, two behind leaders Green Eagles and one point adrift of Napsa Stars.
The victory was a vital one for Zesco heading into their penultimate CAF Champions League Group A match against Premiero de Agosto of Angola this Saturday in Ndola in a competition they are winless and last on 2 points from four games played and their quarterfinal hopes all now but over.
Buildcon are 11th on 24 points after 18 games played.
Meanwhile at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka, Zanaco’s revival continued when they collected their third straight league win and fourth in all competition under the new boss Chris Kaunda.
Zanaco crushed third from bottom Nakambala Leopards 5-1 to move to one place up the log to 12th place on 22 points.
Striker Rodgers Kola took the ball home when he scored a brace from the spot in the 9th and 27th minute and also struck in open play in-between in the 24th minute to take his tally to eight goals this season.
Lassa Kiala added a quick-brace in the 65th and 67th minutes.
Nakambala scored their lone goal through Felix Bulaya in the 49th minute as the Sweet Boys sour season continued following their fourth successive league defeat that left them slumped third from bottom on 14 points from18 games played.
