ZESCO United have given their hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League semi-finals a boost with an emphatic 3-1 home win over ASEC Mimosas at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday afternoon.
The Zambian Champion’s victory moves them level with Group A leaders Wydad Casablanca (who host Al Ahly later this evening) on six points, while the defeated Ivorians remain on three points.
First half goals from Jackson Mwanza and John Ching’andu and a late Idriss Mbombo strike gave ZESCO a deserved victory, while Youssouf Dao scored the West Africans’ consolation goal.
ZESCO dominated the match from the outset but had to wait until the 33rd minute to finally break the deadlock, with forward Jackson Mwanza prodding home Akumu’s lofted pass.
The second goal arrived four minutes later courtesy of a howler by ASEC goalkeeper Amory Diomande, who allowed a straightforward freekick from midfielder John Ching’andu to slip through his hands and over the goal line – the very definition of a ‘soft goal’.
The second half saw ZESCO continue their dominance. However, ASEC almost made it a nervy final 13 minutes for the home side when substitute Dao scored with a back-heel after ZESCO failed to clear their lines following a corner.
But George Lwandamina’s men restored their two-goal advantage two minutes later, when a substitute of their own, Mbombo, found the back of the net as his goal-bound shot took a wicked deflection off an ASEC defender, leaving keeper Diomande helpless.
The teams will meet for the return fixture at the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan on July 27.