Johannesburg, South Africa – ZESCO United coach Mathews Ndhlovu has highlighted the lessons his side must take from their 1-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs, insisting the match exposed both opportunities and areas for improvement.
An early goal from Glody Makabi Lilepo inside the opening 15 minutes set the tone for the encounter, with ZESCO unable to recover despite creating chances. Ndhlovu was clear on where the team went wrong:
“Yes, Chiefs are beatable, especially when you utilise your chances. But if you don’t score, Kaizer Chiefs will overrun you. We were slightly careless at the back when we started the game in Ndola; they utilised their chances and scored.”
The Zambian coach stressed that effective defending goes beyond individual mistakes and depends on game management:
“The best way to defend is about how you manage the game. Those are the positives which we have learnt from Kaizer Chiefs, that if they score, they are capable of managing the game. For us now, we will make sure that we’re displaying that at the back as well as making sure we utilise the chances we create.”
Ndhlovu’s reflections underline a pragmatic approach: learn from elite opponents and translate those lessons into domestic performances. ZESCO’s continental campaign is now over, with the remaining group matches against Al Masry and Zamalek SC reduced to formalities.
The focus now shifts to Zambia’s top flight, where ZESCO sit eighth on 22 points from 16 matches. Ndhlovu is determined to carry the insights gained in Johannesburg back home, aiming to strengthen both defence and attacking efficiency as they fight to qualify for the ABSA Cup.
“Every game at this level teaches you something,” Ndhlovu added. “We now know what it takes to compete against top sides, and we’ll carry these lessons into our domestic campaign.”
