Zesco visit Leopards with Absa Cup berth in mind

By BENEDICT TEMBO

ZESCO United will qualify for the 2026 Absa Cup competition if they beat FC Leopards in their rescheduled MTN Super League Week 13 match in Kabwe today.
Zesco are perched in ninth position on the Super League log, lingering outside the top eight cut off mark.
But they have an opportunity to make it into the Absa Cup as well as improve their status on the table if they can collect full points against Leopards who are struggling to find their space in the top flight since returning this year.

Zesco coach Emmanuel Siwale said his boys were not underrating Leopards.
“Our target is to win,” Siwale said, underplaying the quest for Absa Cup.
Zesco are buoyed by the 2-0 victory over Kansanshi Dynamos which lifted the team from mid-table to ninth position and will be building on the same to go into the break in high spirits.
With two influential midfielders David Simukonda and Pascal Phiri away with the Chipolopolo on African Nations Cup duty, mercurial Kelvin Kampamba holds the key to dictating play and creating scoring opportunities for Amin Hiver and company.

Leopards are keen to get a positive result.
Assistant coach Donewell Yobe said the team was responding well to training.
“The team is shaping up very well,” Yobe said.
Leopards, whose first win in the league was against Napsa Stars at home, cannot wait to taste the second victory of the season.
Gibson Banda with three goals and Thomas Sakala who has two goals are itching to increase their goal tallies.