ZESCO United have won the four-team pre-season international tournament after finishing unbeaten with seven points.
The Ndola-based side recorded two victories and a draw across the three-day competition, which also featured Power Dynamos, Red Arrows and Democratic Republic of Congo side AS Simba.
ZESCO opened their campaign with a 1-0 victory over AS Simba at Arthur Davies Stadium before edging Power Dynamos by the same scoreline on the second day.
They completed the tournament with a goalless draw against Red Arrows at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Saturday.
Power Dynamos finished second on four points, securing the runners-up position ahead of Red Arrows on head-to-head advantage. The Airmen also collected four points, while AS Simba finished fourth with one point.
The tournament, jointly hosted by ZESCO United, Power Dynamos and Red Arrows, provided the four clubs with valuable preparation ahead of the new domestic season and CAF competitions.
For the technical benches, the competition offered an opportunity to test tactical systems, assess new signings, give competitive minutes to players returning from injury and identify areas that still require attention.
Coaches Oswald Mutapa, Chisi Mbewe and Mwenya Chipepo also viewed the three matches as an important part of their preparations, with the intensity of the fixtures providing a realistic test before the start of competitive football.
The organisers said the tournament also helped strengthen relationships between the clubs while providing a platform for evaluating their overall readiness for the demanding season ahead.
With the domestic and continental campaigns approaching, all four teams now leave the tournament with valuable lessons from three competitive matches, despite the primary focus being preparation rather than results.
Final standings
- ZESCO United — 7 points
- Power Dynamos — 4 points
- Red Arrows — 4 points
- AS Simba — 1 point
