By SANDRA MWILA –
COACH George Lwandamina says Zesco United’s defeat to Power Dynamos will not demoralise his players going into the CAF 2016 Champions League return leg against Al Ghazal.
Zesco lost 4-2 on post match penalties to rivals Power after battling to a 1-all in regulation time of the semi-finals of the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndolovu Charity Shield on Saturday at Nkoloma Stadium.
But Lwandamina, whose side face Al Ghazal this weekend, said in a post match interview that the Charity Shield is a different ball game compared to CAF inter club games.
Lwandamina said the loss will have no effect on the players as they prepare for the match against Al Ghazal but it will help them work extra hard.
“Players can’t be demoralised by losing in a Charity Shield match, it will actually help us work extra hard. CAF games are a different ball game, you can’t compare them to the Charity Shield,” Lwandamina said.
Lwandamina explained that his team might have not put in their level best because they were reserving energies for the clash against Al Ghazal so that they can advance to the next round.
Meanwhile, Green Buffaloes captain Christopher Katongo expressed confidence that his side will go on and win the Charity Shield final.
Katongo said it will be good for Buffaloes, the 2015 Barclays Cup champions, to win the Shield to increase the number of silverware that the club has collected.
He said his rejoining of Buffaloes has motivated his teammates to work hard because they believe in him and have a notion that with him they can win accolades.
“This season all the players are ready and we will win the Charity Shield to add on our silverware. My joining Buffaloes has motivated the team to work hard because they have this belief that when I am with a team it wins,” Katongo said.
Power midfielder Benson Sakala said the club is ready for the challenge and will ensure that they lift the Charity Shield.
“We are ready for the challenge, enough is enough! This year we should win the Shield and also challenge for the title,” he said.