By FELIX MALUNGA –

WITH only 24 hours before clashing with Ferroviario da Beira of Mozambique in the CAF Confederation Cup, Zesco United have appealed to the Zambian football fraternity not to judge the nation’s envoys on the poor pre-season results registered in the build up to this continental competition.
Zesco defender, Bornwell Silengo said the fans should not judge the readiness of the Ndola side to participate in the African club tournament on account of the uninspiring results recorded during the four-team events held at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Silengo told the club website that the poor results would in fact be the stepping stone for the team as Zesco had drawn some vital lessons from that experience.
The 21-year-old player, who joined Zesco from Rimon Academy after a stint at Power Dynamos, said the squad was now ready to take up the first continental assignment tomorrow against Ferroviario in the Mozambican coastal town of Beira.
He also said the recent training camp in Mongu had helped the team unite and understand each other’s weaknesses.
“The Mongu camp really helped us loosen up as a team and since some of us are new we really felt we are home,” Silengo said of the team now under the tutelage of experienced trainer, George Lwandamina.
Lwandamina’s charges jetted into Beira on Wednesday evening and have even had a feel of the Ferroviario da Beira Stadium and the players are said to be ready for the challenge.
“The squad had another opportunity to feel the Ferroviario da Beira Stadium pitch during the afternoon session that lasted for an hour from 15:30hrs to 16:30hrs. Team Ya Ziko (Zesco’s nickname) looked in high spirit as it focused on beginning its Confederation Cup campaign on a positive note,” reads a Zesco statement on the club website.
The Zesco coach is hoping for a good start on his first assignment at the club and make next weekend’s return leg at the Levy Mwanawasa a formality.