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
Zesco United:
Have lost both their matches in Group D. They began with a 1-0 away loss against Zamalek and then lost 3-2 at home to Al Masry on Match-Day 2 in November.
Zesco are presently seventh in the Zambian Premier League with 22 points from 16 games, with a game in hand over log-leaders. Power Dynamos, who have 25 points.
They resumed their domestic league on 11 January, after Zambia’s elimination from the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost 2-1 against Nkana Rangers.
They did win their most recent game, a league clash against Kabwe Warriors at home on 17 January, 1-0.
They have used a core of players across their first two games with 10 players starting each of their two Group D games thus far.
Across their two games in Group D they have managed one shot on target.
Kaizer Chiefs:
Are presently third in Group D and will be looking to close the gap on Egyptian rivals Al Masry and Zamalek who will be facing each other on Match-Day 3.
Chiefs’ last group game in November ended in a 1-1 home draw against Zamalek.
Chiefs have lost one game and drawn one thus far in Group D and have managed to score in both games.
Chiefs returned to action on 20 January, winning 1-0 in their first game of 2026 against Lamontville Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium.
Chiefs kept their 13th clean-sheet of the season in all competitions in the win over Arrows.
Chiefs’ goalkeeper Brandon Petersen kept his 11th clean-sheet of the season in all competitions, in the win over Arrows.
Aden McCarthy scored his first senior goal for Chiefs in the win over Arrows.
Chiefs completed a league double for the season over Arrows with their win in midweek.
Amakhosi are presently on a four game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Chiefs’ loss on Match-Day 1 of the CAF CC group stages against Al Masry is the Club’s only defeat in regulation play in their last 15 games in all competitions. In this run Chiefs have won six games and drawn eight.
In the CAF Confederation Cup this season, Dillon Solomons has created three chances across two games - the most by a Chiefs player.
Solomons has been involved in both of Chiefs’ goals in the group stages, scoring one against Al Masry and his shot at goal against Zamlek lead to an error from the goalkeeper resulting in Chiefs’ equaliser in the game.
Chiefs have attempted 792 passes in their two group games so far, while Zesco have attempted 661.
