Four-star Zikiru sends Zesco through

Striker Adams Zikiru on Wednesday scored four goals on his Zesco United debut in a 7-0 rout of Zanzibar club JKU at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola to see the Zambian champions into the next round.

The Ghana-born striker joined Zesco in January 2018 from Nchanga Rangers but did not make the cut for the 0-0 first leg draw last week in Zanzibar.

But Zikiru repaid the faith coach Tenant Chembo put him with a convincing display after he was thrown straight into the deep end.

Zikiru got off the mark as early as the third minute when he tapped-in from close-range a Jesse Were lay off.

JKU were on the back foot from then on with Zesco midfielder Enock Sabakumana tormenting the visitors and he tested JKU goalkeeper Haji Ali twice in the 18th and 24th minutes.

Zesco then made it 2-0 in the 36th minute from Lazarus Kambole with a scorching shot from outside the box.

Zikiru then comfortably put Zesco 3-0 into the break with a fine shot in the 42nd minute.

The Ghanaian was not done and ensured he took the ball home with two more goals before the hour-mark.

His third came in the 57th minute from an acute angle near the post on the rebound after Haji Ali parried Kondwani Mtonga's header.

Three minutes later, Zikiru wrapped up his historic afternoon at the office and was subsequently substituted in the 70th minute for veteran ex-Zambia striker Winston Kalengo.

Kalengo continued from where Zikiru left off with a close-range shot in the 77th minute to make it 6-0.

His contribution did not end there and three minutes before full-time won a penalty after he was up-ended by Haji Ali.

Zambia youth midfielder Lameck Banda stepped up  to convert  the penalty to also score  his debut goal  since joining  Zesco  this  season on loan from South  African club Mamelodi Sundowns.

Zesco advance to the pre-group stage 7-0 on aggregate and will be home in the first leg on March 7 to host either ASEC Mimosa of Cote d’Ivoire or Benin club Buffles.

Fixtures

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Williamsville AC (Cote d’Ivoire) 1-0 Stade Malien (Mali) (1-1)

Olympic de Bangui (Central African Republic) 0-0 ES Setif (Algeria) (0-6)

El Hilal (Sudan) 3-0 LISCR (Liberia) (0-1)

Wednesday, 21 February 2018

KCCA (Uganda) 1-0 CNaPs Sport (Madagascar) (1-2)

Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland) vs Bantu (Lesotho) (4-2)

Aduana (Ghana) 2-0 El Tahadi (Libya) (0-1)

Mounana (Gabon) 2-0 RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) (0-1)

MFM (Nigeria) vs AS Real (Mali) (1-1)

MC Alger (Algeria) vs AS Otoho (Congo) (0-2)

Horoya (Guinea) vs AS FAN (Niger) (3-1)

Makkassa (Egypt) vs Generation Foot (Senegal) (0-2)

Saint Louis (Seychelles) 1-1 Young Africans (Tanzania) (0-1)

El Merreikh (Sudan) vs Township Rollers (Botswana) (0-3)

Leones Vegatarianos (Equatorial Guinea) vs Gor Mahia (Kenya) (0-2)

Esperance (Tunisia) vs Concorde (Mauritania) (1-1)

Eding Sport (Cameroon) 0-1 Plateau United (Nigeria) (0-3)

AS Port (Togo) vs AC Leopards (Congo) (1-2)

Zesco (Zambia) 7-0 JKU (Zanzibar) (0-0)

ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire) vs Buffles (Benin) (1-1)

UD Songo (Mozambique) 2-0 Ngaya (Comoros) (1-1)

Be Forward (Malawi) vs AS Vita (DR Congo) (0-4)

FC Platinum (Zimbabwe) 1-2 Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) (0-3)

Pamplemousses (Mauritius) 1-0 Bidvest (South Africa) (0-2)

Difaa El Jadida (Morocco) 10-0 Benfica (Guinea Bissau)

Benfica (Guinea Bissau) 0-0 Difaa El Jadida (Morocco) (0-10)

Lydia Academic (Burundi) 0-1 Rayon Sports (Rwanda) (1-1)

Saturday, 24 February 2918

Armed Forces (Gambia) vs Zanaco (Zambia) (0-3)