Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Defending Super League champions Zesco United
Defending Super League champions Zesco United return to league action on Wednesday when they host Mufulira Wanderers at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Second-placed Zesco have opted to add an extra rescheduled home fixture to their original two home matches penciled into the mid-season break.
George Lwandamina’s side has so far picked up four points out of a possible six over the last week, following a 2-0 win over Red Arrows on July 6 and a 1-1 draw with Green Buffaloes on July 9.
Should Zesco bounce back from that draw with Buffaloes, they will move within five points of leaders Zanaco with a game in hand.
Zesco have 32 points while Zanaco lead on 40 from 15 and 17 league games played respectively.
However, Zesco will be without defensive midfielder Athony Agay who was sent off in the match against Buffaloes.
The good news is influential playmaker Cletus Chama returns after serving his two-match suspension.
Meanwhile, the day will mark the debut of Paulo Silva following the Portuguese-born trainer’s appointment as Wanderers coach just before the mid-season break.
Silva’s first task will be to pick their first points over Zesco since the 2005 season when Wanderers made a brief appearance in the FAZ Super League.
Last season, Wanderers lost at home in an abandoned match in August that saw Zesco awarded a 3-0 win and were defeated 4-1 away in Ndola earlier in April.
The two sides’ previous meeting 11 years ago saw Wanderers beat Zesco 1-0 at home in Mufulira and they drew 0-0 away in Ndola before the latter were demoted on their way to making a 10-year stay in Division 1 that ended in 2015.
Wanderers are currently 12th on the table and unbeaten in their last five games since losing 2-1 away to Nkana on May 18 before picking up two wins and later going into the mid-term break with three successive draws.