Welcome home George Lwandamina
Zambia’s representatives in the CAF club competitions take to the pitches this afternoon all and start at the same time with the objectives of progressing to the next stages of CAF Confederation Cup and CAF Champions League as these games are second legs.
ZESCO United are away in Burundi while ZANACO is at home against Young African FC of Tanzania.
ZESCO UNITED VS LE MESSEGER NGOZI
Stade Omnisports Ivyizigiro
Rumonge, Burundi
15:00HRS
Carrying a two goal lead the 2016 CAF champions league semi finalists will be favourite to grab a slot in the play off of the CAF confederation Cup which is the next stage.
Jackson Mwanza and Kondwani Mtongo scored in the first leg played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium last Friday in Ndola, and coach Zlat will get inspiration from that as he sets his game plan to progress to the next stage. Zlat is an experienced coach on the African safaris having been there before coaching on the continent and knows what is expected.
Speaking to the PR for ZESCO United Katebe Chola Chengo early hours of today from Burundi, She says the team is in good mood and described the preparation of the game as awesome looking at nothing but victory from the boys.
Le messenger Ngozi is a relatives new team founded in 2005 and plays in the Stade Omnisports Ivyizigiro stadium in Rumonge, Burundi which is a 5,400 capacity stadium a far cry to what they experienced in first leg at the majestic Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Zesco I think look set to progress and they can actually post another win on the road, that will boost more their confidence as they also prepare for Charity Shield encounter against Power Dynamos on the 29th March 2017.
Zesco will be pleased not to have conceded in that cagey first leg.
My Verdict: Le Messager Football Club de Ngozi 0-1 ZESCO United
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ZANACO VS YOUNG AFRICANS
Heroes stadium
15:00hrs
ZANACO walk on the pitch at the stadium that the under 20 national team just celebrated their crown on the African continent. They will be hoping to evoke the same spirit the young Chipolopolo exhibited in lift the trophy.
It’s a welcome back home bash for George Lwandamina who coaches Yanga and this one could a tough one considering what happened in Tanzania. And not forgetting that Chicken George knows the Zambia football terrain just too well.
As it stands though ZANACO come to this important encounter having an advantage of the away goal from the first leg that ended 1-1 with Kwame Attrams getting that important equaliser in a game were ZANACO dominated.
It will be disaster if ZANACO would lose that advantage but what has to be known is that it is possible as YANGA is seriously not a push over at this stage and they may just spoil that party for the Zambian champions .
This will be an interesting game especially with the notion that George Lwandamina knows the Zambian game and especially the ZANACO game.
But news coming through is that the Tanzanian giants are hampered with a lot of missing players due to injury and will have to make do with the replacements if group stage is to be a reality.
ZANACO though shouldn’t be complacent in this encounter as Yanga are also good away and can score goals.
Zimiseleni Moyo the Zimbabwean left was excellent for ZANACO in the makeshift midfield role he was deployed in the first leg and I think he will be crucial in this encounter again.
My thought is that this game could actually be longer than expected as a goal by Yanga complicates things for ZANACO.
A clean sheet for ZANACO guarantees them the passage to the next round. I think YANGA will score and push for extra time becuase I don’t see ZANACO losing at home. But the last game at home the team was not impressive
My Verdict: ZANACO 1-1 YANGA
ZANACO TO WIN ON PENALTIES
