In the previous seasons, playing ZESCO United was a difficult task, Teams would play Zega Mambo knowing that to get three points would be almost an impossible task. However, since mid-way of last season playing them has become easier and ZESCO United is now vulnerable at home.
Looking back at ZESCO’s results from last season to this season, they show that teams are no longer afraid of the eight-time Super League Champions. ZESCO United haven’t got that fear factor anymore. With the opposing teams not scared to “have a go” at them. Teams are now having a go at them because they know that there’s a goal in them.
In the current season, ZESCO United have only managed four clean sheets in the eleven matches played thus far. Compared to last season in which they started like a house on fire by winning ten straight games and only allowed three goals.
Even Levy Mwanawasa stadium is no longer a fortress-like it used to be in the previous seasons. Beating ZESCO united in Ndola was considered as the “ unthinkable” but that’s not the case in the current season. United have already been beaten by title contenders Forest Rangers and ZANACO. They have also struggled against lesser teams such as the likes of Prison Leopards, Indeni, and Lumwana Radiants, in which they only managed to get narrow victories.
JESSE WERE STRUGGLING WITH FORM
They say form is temporal but class is permanent nevertheless, Zesco United star man Jesse Jackson Were is going through that bad patch and it is affecting the club. When he arrived in Zambia in 2016 from Tusker FC in Kenya he quickly settled and became a valuable asset. Who can forget his four goals against Mufulira Blackpool? and most recently his hat-trick against defunct Nakambala Leopards.
Since his arrival in 2016 the King scored at least 16 goals every season but this season he is yet to even register a single goal while last season he managed 13. Without Lazarus Kambole and John Ching’andu in out of form, the Kenyan talisman has struggled to replicate his form from two/three seasons ago.
This has in turn affected Zesco United who now has to rely on veteran Winston Kalengo and young Enock Sakala Jnr as John Mark Makwatta looks to get his scoring boots on and David Molinga hopes to settle quickly which seems to not be happening anytime soon.
LACK OF REPLACEMENTS
Chipolopolo midfield ace Clatous Chota Chama left Zesco United in 2016 to join Ittihad in Egypt but until now a replacement has not been found. Chama was influential in Zesco United’s great run to reach the CAF Champions League semi-finals only losing to eventual winners Mamelodi Sundowns.
Zimbabwean midfielder Thabani Kamusoko tried to fill that void last season but he got injured and it was back to the square, yes it is not the same but he did enough, now that he is back maybe just maybe he can pick up from where he left off before the injury he sustained in training.
Lazarus Kambole left Zesco United to join Kaizer Chiefs in 2019 and by the time of his departure he had become a very important part of the Zesco United setup.
The thing that made him an invaluable member of the set was his understanding and link-up play with Jesse Jackson Were and John Ching’andu. Kambole uses to get important goals for Zesco United most notably against Etoile du Sahel at home, Against Nkana at home, and the famous hat-trick in five minutes against Mbabane Swallows.
Zesco United first brought in Umaru Kasumba who vanished into thin air, Makwatta came but he is yet to fully settle while Molinga is struggling to even displace a teenager in Enock Sakala Jnr from the squad.
The biggest blow was the departure of Anthony Akumu Agay, The Kenyan midfielder’s presence in midfield gave Zesco United an edge over most teams but since he left a suitable replacement has not been identified.
Numba Mumamba is trying his best to get the best out of the available players but management should help him with transfer money to buy proven, one-two top players who can cushion the holes left by Chama, Kambole, and Akumu.
