. Lwandamina

By NDINAWE SIMPELWE  In Niamey –
ZECSO United coach George Lwandamina says his team was still work in-progress and the best is yet to come after picking a vital win away to SONIDEP in Niamey in the CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg.
And Lwandamina has hailed new signings- strikers Rahim Osumanu and Mwila Phiri- for their impressive Champions League debuts with the club.
In an interview, Lwandamina said he would not be carried away with the away win because the pedigree of SONIDEP was not well known.
“I’m not too sure about that. The pedigree of the team we played (SONIDEP) is still unknown. Not until we play our next game, I will be able to tell that we have a team. We have a starting point which is our previous team, that is our starting point which is good,” Lwandamina said.
He said with the new signings, Zesco would definitely head somewhere but urged everyone to be patient.
He said both Osumanu and Mwila Phiri accounted themselves well and hoped they continued to work hard of the greater good of the team.
He said Phiri had a bright future because he was already adapting into different positions despite being very young with a lot maturity to be attained.
Despite being a striker, Phiri was used as left back replace the injured Fackson Kapumbu and the former Green Eagles player did not disappoint.
“Both have gotten in the team so well. Mwila played well, me I know Mwila as a striker. The whole of last season he played in defense with Lusaka Dynamos but he is trying his level best to adapt in that position at a very tender age.
“He is very young. Very young to start changing positions. Unless you mature tactically then you are able to adjust to many positions,” Lwandamina said.
Osumanu who moved to Zesco from Buildcon came on as a second-half substitute for Jesse Were and marked his debut with the goal and played a big part in Zesco’s winning goal scored by Lazarous Kambole.
And team captain Jacob Banda admitted that the team still has a lot of work to do before it got to its best.
He said the fitness levels were lacking and everyone would need to work extra hard to ensure the return leg against SONIDEP on Tuesday did not pose any challenge.
“It is a sweet victory away from home. Playing in West Africa is never easy. We just have to remain focused. We are almost getting there. We regrouped about two weeks. This is our third week, the fitness is not there but we will catch up,” Banda said.