From KALUMIANA KALUMIANA –

in Rabat, Morocco
Wydad 2 Zesco 0
WYDAD Casablanca coach John Toshack says Zesco United lacked the killer finish in yesterday’s CAF 2016 Champions League Group A clash at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Toshack, who piled praise on the Zambian champions, said while Zesco merited being in the Champions League group stage, their only problem was lacking the killer finish against his side.
Zesco suffered their first CAF 2016 Champions League group stage loss yesterday morning here when Wydad beat them in a game of two halves.
The result saw the outgoing Moroccan champions replace Zesco at the top of the table while the latter dropped to third place.
Wydad have maximum six points followed by ASEC Mimosas, who are second but tied with Zesco on three points after they won 2-1 away at winless Al Ahly on Tuesday in Alexandria.
Zesco face ASEC this month in the battle for second place on July 16 at home and on July 20 in Abidjan.
Toshack said at the post-match brief that the game was not easy despite the victory.
Zesco coach George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina was not available for the post-match briefing after a reportedly lack of communication with the CAF match coordinator over where the post-match Press conference was to be held at Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.
“Zesco showed in the second half some very good approach work but maybe when they got to the last 18 metres, they just lacked that last finishing touch.
“Like I said the three points for me are very, very important,” the Liverpool legend and ex-Wales international and coach said.
Wydad found the target after some poor defending by the hosts in the 13th minute through Walid Karti in the 13th minute and a David Owino own goal in the 52nd minute when he struggled to clear Reda Hajhouj’s shot on  the near post.
However, Zesco improved after the hour mark following the introduction of striker Jesse Were for Jackson Mwanza in the 65th minute who brought some life into the visitors’ attack.
Cletus Chama too had two brilliant free kicks saved by Zouhair Laaroubi in the 61st and 78th minutes.
“In the second half, Zesco pushed forward and caused us a few problems, so we are very pleased with the three points because we know when we go to Zambia, we will have a very difficult game,” Toshack said.