Zesco United technical director Honour Janza has described the team’s CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round draw against Gabonese side FC 105 Libreville as fair but has stressed the importance of thorough preparation ahead of the tie.
The Ndola giants will travel to Gabon for the first leg, set for the weekend of 19–21 September 2025, roughly a month after the start of the MTN Super League season.
The return leg will be played between 26 and 28 September at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The winner of the tie will face either Mighty Wanderers of Malawi or Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy in the second preliminary round.
Reacting to the draw, Janza said that while there is no such thing as an easy fixture in continental football, Zesco United has what it takes to progress.
“I think in all fairness we can say it’s a fair draw, but it’s up to us as Zesco United to prepare adequately,” Janza said. “FC 105 are not just a mere club—they have a competitive league, and they are a good side. But we also have a good side, and if we focus and believe in ourselves, we can compete.”
Janza noted that the timing of the fixture could work in Zesco’s favor, as the team will already be in competitive action in the domestic league.
“It is somehow favorable because our local league will help us gain match fitness and allow the new inclusions this season to gel,” he explained. “We’ll also need to work on the mental side and prepare for the humid conditions in Gabon, which I know well from our 2012 AFCON triumph there. It’s manageable if the boys adapt well.”
The former Chipolopolo coach urged his team to learn from past experiences in continental competitions and aim higher.
“We should always use past negatives as motivation to reach another level. We’ve been close before, but someday we must overcome. In this competition, everyone wants to be at the top, and so do we—we should never give up on that attempt.”
Zesco United will be making another push for continental glory, having fallen short in recent seasons, and will look to start their 2025/26 campaign strongly against the Gabonese side.
