Posted in Features, News, Team News on Jan 22, 2026.
Kaizer Chiefs will resume their TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign with a trip to Zambia to face Zesco United at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Match-Day 3 in Group D on Sunday at 15h:0.
Amakhosi will face Zesco for a second time in African Club competitions. The teams met over two legs in the 2018/19 CAF Confederation Cup play-off round, with Zesco winning the tie 5-2.
In their meetings in 2018/19 Zesco won the first leg 3-1 in Ndola, with goals in the 25th and 31st minutes from Lazarous Kambole and Jesse Were respectively. Chiefs scored via Khama Billiat in the 43rd minute, before Were completed his brace with another goal in the 54th minute.
In the return game at FNB Stadium, Zesco lead through goals from Teddy Akumu and Were in the 10th and 68th minutes respectively. Billiat scored for Chiefs in the final minute of the game. Zesco won 2-1.
Chiefs’ other games against Zambian opponents saw them face Nchanga Rangers over two legs in the 2000 CAF Cup, Chiefs lost the first leg at home in Johannesburg by 2-0. The second ended 0-0 in Zambia with Nchanga winning the tie 2-0 on aggregate.
Chiefs’ record in four previous CAF games against Zambian opponents has seen them play four games, losing three and drawing once.
In Chiefs’ previous meetings against Zesco, both clubs managed to score in their games in 2018/19. Neither of the teams has managed to keep a clean-sheet as yet in this fixture.
Zesco, overall, have played South African clubs in eight games in CAF competitions, and have won three games, drawn four and lost one. Their only loss was in the 2016 semifinals, away against Sundowns.
Zesco have never lost to South African opponents at home in four previous continental games, winning two games and drawing two.
The four South African clubs that Zesco have faced in the past are Chiefs, Sundowns, SuperSport United and Royal AM.
This will be Zesco’s first group stage meeting in a CAF tournament against a South African club.
Past Meetings Zesco Vs Chiefs: CAF Confederation Cup 2018-19 Play-off Round
First Leg, 13 January 2019, Zesco United (ZAM) 3 (Kambole 25', Were 31' pen, 54') Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Billiat 43’)
Second Leg, 19 January 2019, Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Billiat 89’) Zesco United (ZAM) 2 (Akumu 10', Were 68')
Zesco won 5-2 on aggregate
