Zesco United and Green Buffaloes today did enough to both hobble to the first rounds of the Africa Champions League and Confederations Cups respectively.
Zesco drew 0-0 against URA to qualify 2-0 on aggregate to the first round in a poor display of football that should give Wedson Nyirenda some serious food for thought before facing 2007 Africa Champions League semifinalist Al Hilal of Sudan at the end of this month.
The match was so poor that midfielder Rainford Kalaba was substituted in the 40th minute and his replacement Jonah Sakuwaha was equally poor throughout his time on the pitch-an epitome of Zesco’s performance this afternoon at the Trade Fair Ground in Ndola.
Meanwhile, URA enjoyed a good spell for 12 minutes after the hour-mark but some poor shooting let them down.
Zesco only briefly sparked to life after on-loan striker Signs Chibambo from demoited Nakambala Leopards came on in the 72nd minute for misfiring striker Enoch Sakala who was awful throughout.
Only some tight marking prevented Chibambo from getting on the score sheet before also fading in the last four minutes of the match.
And at Nkoloma stadium in Lusaka, it took Buffaloes until the last 16 minutes of their match against Chipukizi of Zanzibar to get their two goals of the game.
Midfielder William Njobvu put Buffaloes ahead in the 74th minute before Reuben Tembo made it 2-0 in the 83rd minute.
Buffaloes qualify to the first round of the Confederations Cup 7-0 on aggregate.
They will face either Highlanders of Zimbabwe or Ferrivario Nampula of Mozambique with the former leading 3-0 at home from their first leg.