Defending Champions Zesco United advanced to the 2020/21 ABSA Cup final after a 4 nil demolishing of Eden University National First Division side Konkola Blades at Kitwe’s Arthur Davies Stadium on Saturday.
The six times ABSA Cup winners have set up a date with ‘big spenders’ Lusaka Dynamos who thrashed Zanaco in an earlier kickoff at the same venue.
Zesco United Kelvin ‘Kechi’ Mubanga Kampamba was the star performer as the former Nkana and Power Dynamos midfielder destroyed blades.
The Chipolopolo midfielder was involved in all the four goals including his quick thinking throw in assist for the third goal.
Konkola Blades went into the tie hoping to cause an upset but from the first whistle, the players showed no belief to go after Zesco United’s scalp.
Zesco United won a free kick close to their own half and Kampamba delivered a cross into the Blades’ 18 yard. The ball was cleared off but it was delivered back as Kenyan striker Jesse Jackson Were teed off veteran striker Winstone Ian Kwimba Kalengo who tapped home to give the Ndola side the lead.
Numba Mumanga’s side went to the break leading.
A minute before the hour mark, Kampamba was at it again as his sublime pass found John Ching’andu. As Chinga’ndu was trying to find Kalengo, Blades captain Kelly Kayembe unfortunately put the ball in the back of the net after he failed to clear. Zega Mambo 2 and not sharp razor nil.
Sensing that the job is done, Mumamba made a double substitutions immediately after the goal as he brought on Enoch Sakala Jnr and Samuel Sikaonga for Were and Tafadzwa Rusike on the hour mark.
Five minutes later on after coming on, Sakala Jnr saw his header hit the cross bar off another Kampamba cross.
The Sakala Jnr and Kampamba combo wasn’t done as the former picked out the teenage’s maze run into the channel. Sakala Jnr smashed home with one touch off Kampamba’s throw in for Zesco United’s third goal.
Kampamba was at it again as he wrapped it up with a neat 25 yard finish off a Ching’andu assist to earn the MTN Super League leaders the chance to defend the K3.8 million rich ABSA Cup.
FULL TIME: Zesco United 4-0 Konkola Blades (Winstone Kalengo 17′, Kelly Kayembe 59′ og, Enock Sakala Jnr 79′,Kelvin Kampamba 84′)
Zesco United XI: Ian Otieno – Simon Silwimba (Samson Mkandawire ), Solomon Sakala, Adrian Chama, Fackson Kapumbu – Chanda Mukuka, Tafadzwa Rusike (Samuel Sikaonga 58′), John Ching’andu, Kelvin M. Kampamba – Jackson Jesse Were (Enock Sakala Jnr 58′), Winstone Kalengo (Bruce Musakanya 83′)
Unused Substitute: Toaster Nsabata (gk), Clement Mwape, David Molinga,
Very nice danamos
All de best Zega mambo in DE finals….