Kaizer Chiefs were made to work for their first Caf Confederation Cup victory of the season in group D this weekend after jotting down a tense 1-0 win against Zesco United at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Sunday.
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Chiefs commenced the half on the front foot and immediately made their intentions known from the first whistle. Then, following a corner situation, Amakhosi took the lead through Pule Mmodi, whose header found the back of the net following a rebound in the penalty box.
Zesco battled to get into the game after Mmodi opened the scoring, while they often looked to catch their opposite numbers on the break. However, it was the Glamour Boys who controlled the tempo of the game leading up to the 20th-minute mark.
The Soweto giants continued to boss proceedings leading up to the halftime break, but battled to make the most of their forward advancements. At the other end of the pitch, Zesco likewise created few scoring opportunities.
Chiefs picked out a decent position on the pitch at the restart and immediately applied pressure in their search of a second-goal. The likes of Flavio Silva and Mfundo Vilakazi looked lively on the edge of the Zesco United as the Zambian outfit defended their quarters.
Zesco put Chiefs under immense pressure after the hour mark and saw more of the ball midway through the second-half. With it being Amakhosi’s turn to soak up the pressure, Zesco often went direct in their attempts to level the scoring.
The Zambian side played on the front foot for much of the second 45 and were awarded numerous set-piece scenarios inside Chiefs' half. However, the PSL giants worked hard to preserve their lead as the clock hit the 85th-minute mark.
As the game drew to a close, Chiefs held on to secure a much-needed 1-0 win on away soil. Chiefs have now moved level on points (4) with Zamalek after three matches played in the tournament, with the latter set to take on Al Masry on Sunday night.
Zesco: 0
Kaizer Chiefs: (1) 1 (Mmodi 2’)
ZESCO UNITED: Sakauta, Chilongoshi, Chongo, Chabala, Chepesi, Musukuma (Obame 40’), Gantar (Mwanza 40’), Mulenga, Kampamba (Ngonga 79’), Hiver, Siankombo (Manda 46’)
KAIZER CHIEFS: Petersen, McCarthy, Santos, Kwinika, Solomons (Monyane 46’), Vilakazi (Shabalala 61’), Ndlovu, Maboe (Mabaso 68’), Mmodi, Silva (Baartman 79’), Mayo (Lilepo 46’)