By NDINAWE SIMPELWE
at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium –
Zesco 2-0 Al Ghazala

• ZESCO United defender Ben Adama Banh jumps to avoid Al Ghazal defender Peter Karbino’s challenge during yesterday’s CAF Champions League match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. Picture by SAMUEL LUKHANDA

ZESCO United started their 2016 CAF Champions’ League campaign against Al Ghazal of South Sudan on a winning note but left coach George Lwandamina with more to ponder about with his new look side.
Zesco beat lowly rated Al Ghazala 2-0 in a match the Zambians could have easily won by a bigger margin but wasted numerous scoring opportunities and leave themselves with some work to do in the return match.
Lwandamina started this preliminary round first leg match with four new arrivals as he gave the nod to Ben Adama, Idris Mbombo, Jesse Were and Anthony Akumu. Skipper Jacob Banda was suspended while Jackson Mwanza and Mathews Mkowane failed late fitness tests.
Much was expected from Were who had a good pre-season especially during the four-team international tournament but the player experienced a nightmare debut for his side in the CAF Championship after the home fans called for his substitution.
Ghazal came with a strategy to force a draw and employed their plan effectively.
The home side dominated play from kick-off and created chances in quick succession with Cletus Chama at the center of the attacks but desperate defending from Ghazala kept the scores level.
It did not take long before the visitors’ defence was breached with a Were attempt on goal deflected for a corner in the seventh minute.
The resultant set-piece from Chama found Mbombo’s head who directed nodded in to give Zesco the lead in the eighth minute.
Zesco’s dominance continued as the visitors failed to offer any real challenge and in the 13th minute Mwape Mwelwa forced a brilliant save from Ghazala goalkeeper Ajang Mabior Madut whose finger tip save kept the visitors hanging on to dear life in this contest.
Ghazal were lucky in the 26th minute to see a Mbombo header bounce off the post with Madut clearly beaten.
The visitors ran out of ideas midway the first half and knowing they were inferior in all departments decided to park the bus to frustrate all Zesco’s attacks and helped by the home team’s wastefulness in front of goal saw the first half end 1-0.
The second-half provided little to cheer for the home side as it turned out to be a duplicate of the first stanza where Zesco mounted pressure on their visitors’ half but the end product but could not capitalise the chances created.
Lwandamina eventually rested Anthony Akamu for Maybin Mwaba midway the second half with the fans demanding for Were substitution for his ineffectiveness and the coach obliged by replacing him with Lazarous Kambole in the 64th minute.
Madut was making a name for himself after making back to back saves to keep his side the tie. He parried a Maybin Mwaba effort into the path of Mbombo whose follow up shot was also blocked for a corner on 71 minutes.
Just as it appeared that Ghazal had managed to frustrate Zesco by conceding a lone goal, up stepped Chama at the nick of full time. Chama collected the ball at the edge of the box before unleashing a thunderbolt into the top right corner of the net to send the fans into wild celebrations.
Chama’s goal was almost the last kick of the game as Zimbabwean referee blew for the final whistle just as Ghazal was about to restart the match.
Lwandamina said in the post match conference that it was never easy for his side to play against a defensive minded Ghazala, whom he said did not offer anything.
Ghazal assistant coach John Baptist Abakar said the target was to at least pick a draw in Zambia and finish off the game in the return leg in two weeks time at home.