By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA in Juba –
Ghazala 0 Zesco 1 (0-3 aggregate)
GEORGE ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina praised Zesco United’s character after overcoming a stubborn Al Ghazala 1-0 away here to advance to the first round of the 2016 CAF Champions League.
Lwandamina said in a post-match interview at Juba Stadium yesterday that he expected a tough match but at the end of the day the better team carried the day.
“It was very difficult, we didn’t play our usual entertaining football but what is important is to sail to the next round,” Lwandamina said.
Meanwhile, Zesco won in the dying minutes to beat their South Sudan hosts to advance 3-0 on aggregate from the preliminary round.
A last minute goal from second-half substitute John Chingandu settled Zesco’s nerves albeit at the death in a historic first visit by a Zambian team to Africa’s newest nation.
However, unlike in the first leg when they played some ultra-defensive football, Al Ghazala came out of the blocks blazing with Michael Mor twice missing in quick succession testing Jacob Banda in the 23rd and 25th minutes.
Zesco, though had one great chance in the 18th minute by Ben Banh from a free kick tapped over the bar by Al Ghazala goalkeeper Ajang Madut.
Lwandamina’s men began to find their feet after the opening half hour and in the 37th minute, Idriss Mbombo shockingly failed to beat Madut from close range.
Mbombo beat two defenders but elected to fire wide on the near post in a one-on-one with Madut.
Zesco continued to pressure in search of that goal to take into the break but were denied in the 44th minute when Jackson Mwanza’s effort came off the horizontal.
The second half saw a Thiab Adim Angok free kick saved by Banda in the 50th minute.
David Owino then reacted luckily in the 65th minute to an aerial duel with Michael Nor to head the ball to the safe hands of Banda.
Ten minutes later, Mwanza fired his shot high and over before he was replaced three minutes later by Jackson Were.
And it was Were and fellow substitute Chingandu who came on in the 77th minute for Mbombo who combined well to snatch the away win.
Were floated the ball from the right for Chingandu who was lurking at the far post to head in the winner.
Zesco will host the victor of Guinean side Horoya versus six-time champions AS Douanes of Senegal in the first round during the weekend of March 12.
Horoya host Douanes tomorrow at 17:00 in Conakry after a scoreless draw from the first leg in Dakar a fortnight ago.