Zesco United F.C fans yesterday staged a protest at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola calling for the sacking of the club’s head coach Numba Mumamba after what they described as a “painful elimination from the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.”
Multiple fans sang songs demanding that the Zega mambo gaffer be sacked with immediate effect, after their team played out to a 1-1 draw against South African side Royal AM to be eliminated from the competition on away goals rule following a 0-0 draw in the first leg.
The nine-time Zambian Champions entered the competition at the second round, and needed an outright victory to progress to the next round of the tournament after playing out to a barren draw in the first leg played in Durban last weekend.
Zesco United opened the scoring in the 30th minute through Collins Sikombe to put the Ndola based side in control of the game as they went on the break.
The DSTV Premiership side pushed for an equaliser in the second half of the match and their efforts paid off when Zesco United goalkeeper handled the ball outside the box which resulted into a free-kick and Ruzaigh Gamildien stepped up to beat Otieno and level the scores 1-1.
A number of Zesco United fans expressed displeasure with the continued stay of Numba Mumamba as coach.
“We can’t be losing to farmers, Sack Numba already,” —@LekoLako wrote on Twitter.
“The coach has all the best players at his disposal. He has all the financial and logistical support. However his performance is shambolic and we are left to Wonder what the exco and other stake holders are waiting for before correcting the situation. Please can we replace this coach like yesterday.” —Dreyfas Malama wrote on Facebook.
“Numba should go. We have been failing to score since he came in. Failed to win absa cup, super league and failed to qualify to group stage for two years straight.Let numba go. We have the strongest team in zambia and we can’t compete. Let him go.Numba out.”—Graham Masachi.
“You should be giving us updates about the dismissal of the entire technical bench who failed & embarrassed us in the CAF competitions in the last two seasons being eliminated at a preliminary stage.”— Romes Tapfumaneyi also wrote on Facebook.
The 2017 CAF Champions League semi-finalists’ elimination from the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup means, Zambia will now have no representatives in continental football following the ejection of both Zesco United and MTN super league Champions Red Arrows who were sent packing from the Champions League by Premeiro de Agosto of Angola in the preliminary round.
