Ndlovu explains Zesco's early CAF Confederation exit after Chiefs defeat

Zesco United head coach Mathews Ndlovu has admitted that fine margins proved costly for his side following their 1-0 defeat to Kaizer Chiefs, a result that confirmed their elimination from the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup after four consecutive losses in the group stage.

Speaking after the match, Ndlovu said the contest was decided by key moments, particularly in transition, where Chiefs made the most of their opportunity.

“I think the game, as the result entails, was about moments—transition moments and chances. We lost it when Kaizer Chiefs came at us and they utilised the chance they had,” Ndlovu said.

The Ndola-based side conceded early, going behind in the 14th minute when wingback Benedict Chepeshi’s attempted clearance bounced off an onrushing opposition attacker. The ball fell kindly to Mfundo Vilakazi, who set up Makebi Lilepo to expertly strike the ball into the bottom left corner, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Ndlovu explained that conceding early forced his side to chase the game, which disrupted their rhythm and allowed time to work against them. “We started chasing the game, hence time was running out. We had to make some adjustments to come back, but we couldn’t shake the net,” he added. “In the second half at least we came to the party, but again we couldn’t score.”

When asked if he thought Chiefs were a beatable side, Ndlovu responded, “It is really beatable, especially when you utilize the chances which you create. But if you don’t score, Kaiser Chiefs will overrun you. We were slightly careless at the back when we started the game with them in Ndola.”

Despite their confirmed exit, Ndlovu stressed the importance of finishing on a positive note in their remaining fixtures against Zamalek and Al Masry.

“We need to finish on a positive note. We have two games remaining, and we need to run the race until we reach the end. It’s a group-stage situation, and we must finish all the games accordingly.”

Ndlovu believes the continental campaign, though disappointing, has provided valuable lessons for the squad. “There are a lot of positives we have learned from the group stage and we need to come back and build on what we have learned,” he said.