Zesco United have won the season opening Samuel Zoom Ndhlovu Charity Shield after they beat ten man Nkana 2 – 0 in a game played at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Two wonder goals from John Chingandu were enough to settle the tie that saw Donashano Malama red carded.
Line Ups
Zesco United: Jacob Banda, Dauti Musekwa, Fackson Kapumbu, David Owino, Ben Adama Bahn, Anthony Akumu Agay, Kondwani Mtonga, Dave Daka, John Chingandu, Jesse Jackson Were, Idris Ilunga Mbombo.
Nkana: Kelvin Malunga, Donashano Malama, Joseph Musonda, Given Sinyangwe, Aaron Katebe, Yannick Mulenda, Shadreck Musonda, Aubrey Chamulwanda, Soutra Tshimenga, Walter Bwalya, Ronald Kampamba.
First half began at the whistle of renowned referee Wellington Kaoma who was in charge of the clash. Both teams started out looking to dominate and show strength and that continually ended in stoppages as the teams committed numerous fouls. A stamp on the leg of Kenyan Jesse Were saw Aubrey Chamulwanda pick up a booking right before Idriss Ilunga Mbombo picked up a booking after a late challenge on veteran Nkana defender Joseph Musonda, which ended in a bad coming together leaving the young Congolese forward worse off and requiring treatment. Nkana often failed to get to their strikers Kampamba and Walter Bwalya in the prime shooting positions, while Zesco took a few shots from range including one going begging from Kenyan midfielder Anthony Akumu. The first half ended with the teams level.
The second half began with Zesco United very much on the front foot with John Chingandu breaking the deadlock shortly after resumption of play with an impeccably taken strike. Zesco began to show some dominance with excellent show of passing play and dominance, boxing Nkana in their own half for periods. Nkana had their fair share of chances and set piece plays from which nothing threatening came. In the 60th minute Nkana found Donashano Malama with space to run into on the wide, he cleverly played it central to Soutra Tshimenga who made a run into the Zesco United boxto try and shoot, his effort was blocked leaving a free ball between Donashano Malama and Ben Adama. The loose ball caused more trouble than could have been bargained for with the Nkana captain eventually flying studs out into the Zesco United center half in a play deamed dangerous by referee Wellinton kaoma who immediately took to his pocket and flashed a red card leaving the record league winners down to 10 men. The man advantage soon became evident with Zesco strutting their stuff and running circles around the Nkana players and eventually creating the chance that saw John Chingandu grab his brace with a left footed screamer from outside the box. Nkana reshaped bringing on Austin Muwowo and Jacob Ngulube but to no avail as the game ended 2 to 0 making Zesco United the 2017 Samuel Zoom Ndlhovu Charity Shield Winners.
Zambia should start searching for National team goalies. The Nkana goal minder , although he let in two long range strikes from the Nkana baptist in John , he looks quite promising. Another promising youngster is plying his trade in S.A. He has good height and reflexes too.
I don’t see Nkana winning the league with that kind of attitude and the back four are all very useless including muzo the goalkeeper very very good though.i feel zeddy should have oppoted for an all round attack so to gauge his side unlike the defensive approach
I must say i was impressed with the football displayed by my team Zega and the beautiful goals from John Ching’andu, however I wasn’t happy with how playful our players became when the game entered the 70th min. We begun to show disrespect to our opponents with useless showboating and skills when in my opinion we could have easily gone on to score a further 2 goals which i think the coach was unhappy with as well. Regarding Donashano Malama’s red card it was really stupid of him to do that knowing the fact he is an experienced player and the Captain who others should look up to. All in all it was a great game of football and kudos to the ref for handling the match well.
Nkana can’t stand on zesco i every even said it on zambia report that too bad for nkana.congratulations ZEGA MAMBO
Zamfoot why aren’t u reporting on progress of our players in the diaspora. …..hats happening to sunzu. …chisamba. …et Al. ….wake up man…don’t annoy me by your laziness…
I am also in support of the Nkana goalkeeper to be called to the national team. The boy is good and he has the stature.