• ZANACO’S Augustine ‘Diego’ Mulenga (right) slips away from his Nchanga Rangers marker during the MTN-FAZ Premier Division League Week Three match at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola on Sunday. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. Picture by ZANACO FC

By MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

Kaloum 1 Zesco 1 (Aggregate 2-2, 5-4 penalties)
COACH George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina has said Zesco United will not cry over spilled milk following the Zambian club’s exit from the CAF 2015 Champions League on Sunday.
Zesco’s dreams of winning the 2015 edition of Africa’s most prestigious club tournament came to an end after they lost to AS Kaloum of Guinea 5-4 on penalty shootouts in the first round, return leg match played at the Stade de Mars in Bamako, Mali.
The result ended Zambia’s participation in the 2015 edition of the CAF interclub competitions after Power Dynamos were eliminated from the Confederation Cup by Gabonese side, CF Mounana on Saturday.
However, this encounter in Bamako was not short of controversy as the Zambian champions felt deprived of a spot in the pre-group stage by Moroccan referee, Alou Ait Hicham’s decision to award Kaloum a late penalty which resulted into the hosts’ equalising goal.
The two sides settled for a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes of play but with the first leg match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola last month having played for an identical result and tied 2-2 on aggregate, the fixture was to be decided on nerve-wrecking penalty shootouts.
John Ching’andu, Misheck Chaila, Justine Zulu and Ayo Oluwafemi converted their spot kicks but striker Jackson Mwanza saw his effort saved, thereby sending Kaloum, who converted all their penalties, into the second round of the competition.
Needing an outright win to progress to the pre-group stage, Zesco got off to a flying start with Zulu again coming to the aid of the Ndola side with a 41st minute strike, giving the Zambian’s a slender lead into half time.
Zulu’s goal was his fourth in four consecutive Champions League games that Zesco has played this season.
As Zesco were seemingly headed for a win, Hicham awarded Kaloum a controversial penalty in the last quarter of the game, a move that incensed the Zambian players in protest but the referee’s decision stood.
DR Congo international Kabungo Kassongo stepped forward to bury the ball past Jacob Banda to restore parity in the 75th minute.
Lwandamina, who blamed Zesco’s exit on poor officiating by the Moroccan referee, refused to dwell on the result and urged his charges to focus on defending the MTN-FAZ super league title.
“We will not cry over spilled milk because if we cry in the night we will not see the stars,” Lwandamina said.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) treasurer Kelvin Mutafu, who was delegation leader, said Zambian teams should draw lessons from the two clubs’ elimination from the CAF interclub competitions.
“Let’s pick up peaces and learn something from the early exit of our representatives,” Mutafu said.
Zesco, who left Bamako yesterday via Ethiopia, are expected to arrive back home tomorrow.