“Powering the Nation” is the motto of Zesco United’s main sponsors, the Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO).
Since winning promotion to the top tier 12 years ago, Zesco United have been powering the nation; dominating domestic football with 5 league and 8 cup titles.
Can they carbon copy their local front impeccable run to Africa? This will be reason enough for the fans to transform “Powering the Nation” to “Powering the Continent”?
With Michael Phelps setting records and slaughtering them at Rio 2016 Olympics, you can be right to say it’s a season of setting records and eclipsing them.
In 2009, Zesco United set the record of becoming the first Zambian club to reach the group stages of CAF Champions league under the new system running since 1997.
By reaching the semifinals of the ongoing 2016 CAF Champions league, “Team Ya Ziko” have eclipsed their 2009 record.
However, prior 1997,Mufulira Wanderers and Nkana stormed into the semifinals of CAF Champions with the latter finishing as runners up in 1980.
The race for this year’s Club intercontinental title is heating up and Zesco United are tipped for Gold despite embarking the term as dark horses.
Having negotiated their way into the last four, Team Ya Ziko only have to beat Wydad Casablanca in the final round of the group stages matches to finish as table toppers.Group winners will be paired with runners ups.
On paper, Zamalek or Mamelonid put Zesco United and Zambia’s hopes of winning maiden CAF Champions league Gold hanging on the thread. Count them as outsiders at your own peril.Their darting streak thus far shows they can defy the odds and represent Africa at the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup.
