Zesco to face Sundowns in semis

Zesco United were held to a 1-1 draw by Wydad Casablanca in their final Group A 2016 Caf Champions League clash at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Wednesday.

With both teams having secured their passage to the semifinals before the game had kicked off, it was a straight shootout for who would advance as group winners.

In the end, the Moroccans did enough to seal top spot and will as a result face fellow North Africans Zamalek in the final four. Zesco will lock horns with fellow Southern Africans Mamelodi Sundowns for a place in the final.

Brimming with confidence following home wins over Al Ahly and ASEC Mimosas; the Zambian hosts started the better of the two sides and after Jesse Were missed a golden chance, David Owino Odhiambo opened the scoring on 17 minutes.

Were, who bagged a brace in Suez earlier this month, failed to convert a defence-splitting pass before Mwape Mwelwa saw his shot cleared off the line.

Zesco, though, would get their goal from the resulting corner-kick through Owino who ghosted in unmarked before heading the ball into the back of the net.

Owino’s Kenyan teammate, Were, had a chance to double the hosts’ lead soon after, but with Mohamed Akid stranded the Team Ya Ziko forward could only manage to blaze his effort wide of goal.

Zesco continued to boss proceedings, but were unable to add to their tally before the break with George Lwandamina’s men holding a narrow lead as the teams headed into the tunnel.

Wydad came out a different side after the interval with Abdeladim Khadrouf going close for the visitors in the 54th minute.

Rouges et Blancs wouldn’t have to wait long to level matters and did so through Chisom Chikatara a minute later.

Jacob Banda came out tops in a tussle with the Wydad striker in the opening stanza, but this time the Nigerian would have the better of the Zesco skipper. The former Abia Warriors forward found the back of the net via the inside of the post from well outside the penalty area.

Wydad ended the game on top with Banda forced into an acrobatic save to keep out Ismail Hadda’s left-footed strike in the 85th minute.

John Toshack urged his men forward in the dying minutes of the game as they went in search of the killer blow and almost got one – Fabrice N’Guessi somehow failing to hit the target with his header attempt, with the goal at his mercy.

The semifinals will take place next month with Zamalek and Zesco hosting the first leg.