Zesco United will be missing suspended defensive midfielder Kondwani Mtonga when they host Sudanese giants Al Hilal in Ndola on  Saturday.

Visiting Al Hilal will also be without defender Emmanuel Ariwachukwu. Mtonga was red-carded right at the end of the 2-1 loss away at Asante Kotoko in their last match, while Nigerian defender Ariwachukwu received his second yellow card when Al Hill lost to Nkana FC by a similar scoreline.

With both sides bruised as they head into this encounter, Zesco coach George Lwandamina is refusing to read much into the setback against Asante Kotoko.

Interestingly, all teams in Group C have three points with Zesco leading the standings on goal difference.

“We have just played two games each with four remaining. If my mathematics serves me right, we have three points each and if the league was to end today, I am sure, Zesco would still be on top,” Lwandamina told Cafonline.

Zesco goes into Saturday’s match with an unbeaten record at home in Caf inter-club competitions.

Ever since being edged 1-0 by Asec Mimosas in a Caf Champions League  group stage match on March 7 last year, Zesco have gone on to record three wins and four draws at Levy Mwanawasa.

They now face an Al Hilal side dreadful of the Copperbelt since losing 2-1 to Nkana almost two weeks ago.

That defeat cost Irad Zafouri his job as Al Hilal coach and his Tunisian compatriot Nabil Kouki is the new man in charge.

He joined Al Hilal earlier this week as the Sudanese heavyweights did not break camp in Zambia after the loss to Nkana.