• ZESCO United’s Cletus Chama shields the ball from ‘Mighty’ Mufulira Wanderers defender Taonga Bwembya during yesterday’s Barclays Cup quarter-final clash at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka. Zesco won 2 – 0. Picture by CLEVER ZULU.

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA At Nkoloma Stadium –
Zesco 2 Wanderers 0
‘MIGHTY’ Mufulira Wanderers were yesterday ejected out of the 2014 Barclays Cup competition by three-time champions Zesco United in their first attempt at winning a title after a 17-year wait.
Taking the hype of this year’s tournament, Wanderers, the legendary cup fighters, lived up to their billing in the first half but were a beaten force in the second half playing with little zeal while the more experienced Zesco played out the game with a comfortable scoreline.
After playing all the football and wasting numerous scoring opportunities, the FAZ Division-One north side was given a reality check in the 23rd minute when Zesco’s first attack resulted in a goal from an unlikely source in Cletus Chama.
Against the run of play, Zesco left back Bernard Mapili had time and space to cross the ball for Chama who glanced it passed Wanderers goalie Daniel Phiri with the defence caught ball watching.
While Wanderers felt hard done by the goal having played all the football, Zesco were happy having put up a solid defensive work centred on Nyambe Mulenga.
The goal saw Wanderers go into attack and for extended periods, Zesco were on tentacles but when their second opportunity struck for a goal, they did so courtesy of hard working striker Jackson Mwanza.
Mwanza, the former Coca-Cola schools national tournament winning captain with Naboye, dribbled passed the Wanderers defence, rounded up keeper Phiri and easily slotted home with his left.
If the first goal was harsh on the youngsters of Mufulira, then the second was a killer as they were never the same in the remaining part of the second half and looked to the wasted chances with one of them from Jacob Ngulube in the 32nd minute.
Down by two goals and against the most successful side in this competition, Wanderers were a second nature in this half as the team rarely threatened and their best opportunity seeing Brian Mungeni’s strike coming off the crossbar after a neat build up.
Wanderers will look to the future with a smile after this performance and just like their coach Manfred Chabinga attested after Jacob Nugulube won the man of the match.
“We only conceded goals because of losing concentration but this is a matter we have to work on, these are just boys that we have,” he said.
Napsa 1 Dynamos 0
In the second quarterfinal, 2012 champions Napsa Stars sailed through to the semi finals after beating a determined Division One south side Lusaka Dynamos thanks to a Jean Paul Simaho strike.
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