ZESCO United F.C.

ZESCO United Football Club (simply often known as ZESCO) is a Zambian professional football club based in Ndola, that competes in the Zambia Super League. Founded in 1974, the team plays its home matches at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

ZESCO United
Full nameZESCO United Football Club
Nickname(s)Zega Mambo, Team Ya Ziko
Short nameZesco
Founded1 January 1974 (1974-01-01)
StadiumLevy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola
Capacity49,800
OwnerZESCO
ChairmanRichard Mulenga
ManagerGeorge Lwandamina
LeagueZambia Super League
2022–233rd
WebsiteClub website
Green and Orange colours
White and green colours

The club is wholly owned and sponsored by the state owned electricity supplier ZESCO.[1]

History and records

ZESCO United was founded in 1974. They became the first Zambian club to qualify for the CAF African Champions League group stage in 2009. ZESCO United are one of only 3 Zambian clubs including Nkana and Green Buffaloes who hold an all time unbeaten home record against non Zambian opposition. ZESCO United also became the first Zambian Club this century to play against European opposition when they played against Zenit Saint Petersburg in Abu Dhabi in 2008.

They reached their first ever semi finals of the CAF African Champions League after a 2–2 draw away to Egyptian league champions Al Ahly in Matchday 5 of the Champions' League quarter final group stage.[2]

They extended their all time unbeaten home record against non Zambian teams to 26 games on Saturday, 17 September 2016, after a 2–1 home win against South African league champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF African Champions League.[3]

The club also created history by being the first Zambian club to sign Asian players, with Kosuke Nakamachi from Japan.

Achievements
2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Runner up : 2005, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2022, 2023
2006
Finalist : 2007
2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2021
2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2019
Finalist : 2021
2007
1980, 2003

Performance in CAF competitions
2008 – last 32
2009 – group stage (top 8)
2011 – last 16
2015 – last 32
2016 – semi-finals
2018 – group stage (top 16)
2019 – first round
2020 – group stage (top 16)
2022 – preliminary round
2006 – first round
2010 – first round
2013 – last 16
2014 – second round
2017 – quarter-finals
2019 – group stage (top 16)

Players

Current squad

As of 3 May 2021.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Zambia ZAM Jacob Banda (captain)
2 DF Zambia ZAM Solomon Sakala
3 DF Zambia ZAM Fackson Kapumbu
4 MF Zambia ZAM Edward Tembo
5 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Marcel Kalonda
6 DF Zambia ZAM Simon Silwimba
10 FW Zambia ZAM Winston Kalengo
11 MF Zambia ZAM John Ching'andu
14 DF Zambia ZAM Adrian Chama
16 GK Burkina Faso BFA Dieudonné Ntibahezwa
17 MF Zambia ZAM Logic Ching'andu
18 MF Zambia ZAM Kondwani Mtonga
20 MF Zimbabwe ZIM Thabani Kamusoko
21 DF Zambia ZAM Daut Musekwa
22 MF Zambia ZAM Mwape Mwelwa
No. Pos. Nation Player
25 FW Kenya KEN Jesse Were
26 DF Zambia ZAM Mwila Phiri
27 DF Zambia ZAM Clement Mwape
28 GK Zambia ZAM Lameck Nyangu
30 DF Zambia ZAM Samson Banda
— GK Zambia ZAM Toaster Nsabata
— GK Kenya KEN Ian Otieno
— DF Zambia ZAM Donashano Malama
— DF Zambia ZAM Bernard Mapili
— MF Zambia ZAM Kelvin Kampamba
— MF Zambia ZAM Bruce Musakanya
— MF Zimbabwe ZIM Tafadzwa Rusike
— FW Zambia ZAM Chitiya Mususu
— FW Kenya KEN John Makwata

Former players

References
  1. "Zesco Utd embrace big bus theory". Lusaka Times. 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
  2. "Africa: Success Story Coming From Zambian Club Zesco Utd in African Club Championship".
  3. "Puncherello Chama gives his analysis of Zesco's win over Sundowns in the African Champions League semi-final 1st leg".
  4. "A Malayan tiger in Zambia: 'My name is Marcel Kalonda, and I am Malaysian'". footballpink.net. 15 June 2020.
  5. "FAM ends Marcel Kalonda links after documentation snag". goal.com.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.