Striker Jesse Were scored a hat-trick that put Zesco United within two points of the 2020-21 Zambia Super League title following a 4-0 home win over already-relegated Kitwe United at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
ZESCO’s victory saw them restore their eight-point lead over second-placed Zanaco with just three games left to play for Zanaco.
A win in their next home game over relegation-battling NAPSA Stars after the FIFA international match break on 16th June could see ZESCO clinch their ninth crown with three games to spare.
Jesse Were, who scored his first hat-trick of the season, said they are not taking the luxury of taking the remaining four games for granted as they still need to secure 2 more points before starting to celebrate their title win.
“We have to go back to the drawing board, we need to work harder because the last four games are not going to be easy and we will focus and keep on working hard to get the maximum points,” Were said.
The win was also a huge sigh of relief for ZESCO who came into the match following a humbling 3-0 away loss to mid-table side Prison Leopards last Wednesday.
It was a true champion display on Sunday against Kitwe United as ZESCO went 3-0 up after just 37 minutes to go in with a secure lead at the break.
Were opened his account in the 8th minute when he tapped in a flick on the far-post from Winston Kalengo.
The Kenyan striker added the second in the 31st minute when he found a gap in between Kitwe United’s central defence and put the ball beyond goalkeeper Haveson Chingambu.
Kalengo bagged the third goal of the game in the 37th minute when he manoeuvred through United’s defence following a slick one-two play with Thabani Kamusoko.
Were completed his hattrick in the 57th minute when Bruce Musakanya rolled the ball into his path to again slice through Kitwe’s central defence to put the ball beyond a helpless Chingambu.
Kitwe United offered very little quality on Sunday despite coming into the game a week after their giant-killer 2-1 away win over Zanaco in Lusaka.
United’s best opportunity in the game came in the 53rd minute when Rupert Musonda failed to beat Toaster Nsabata from point-blank range after the ZESCO goalkeeper parried his effort.
ZESCO United now sit on 61 points and have 4 games to secure 2 points from in order to win the league as second-placed Zanaco have 53 points but only 3 games left.
