Why Kambole's historic Caf hat-trick for Zesco may be in vain

JOHANNESBURG

Lazarous Kambole scored a five-minute CAF Champions League hat-trick for Zesco United of Zambia Saturday, but it is unlikely to save his club from group-stage elimination.

While Zesco hammered Mbabane Swallows of eSwatini 3-0 in murky Manzini, Primeiro Agosto of Angola took an unexpected point from a 1-1 draw at Group D leaders Etoile Sahel of Tunisia.

Drawing secured former champions Etoile first place with a match to spare despite dropping two points in Mediterranean resort Sousse.

Luanda outfit Primeiro will join them in the September 3 quarter-finals draw in Cairo if they defeat off-form Swallows in Angola this month.

Zesco host Etoile in a simultaneous kick-off and, to survive, must win and hope Primeiro do not collect maximum points.

Apart from being one point ahead of Zesco entering the final matchday, Primeiro also have a head-to-head advantage having won and drawn when the southern African clubs clashed.

Kambole broke the deadlock on 38 minutes, added a second two minutes later and completed his hat-trick after 43 minutes.

It was not, however, the best individual scoring feat by a Zesco player in the competition this year as Zikiru Adams scored four goals against Zanzibari club JKU in a qualifier.

The hat-trick lifted Kambole to six goals this season, one less than leading Champions League scorer Hamid Ahaddad of Difaa el Jadida, who recently quit the Moroccan club.

Swallows, severely hampered by the loss of four stars to South African clubs, were suffering a third consecutive defeat after taking four points from their opening two matches.

A win for Primeiro at Etoile would have ensured qualification and after Dani Massunguna gave them an early lead, they held out until Amine Chermiti levelled three minutes from time.

Etoile, the only team to win all five current and past CAF club competitions, have 11 points after five rounds, Primeiro six, Zesco five and Swallows four.

Even Swallows are not without hope as a win in Angola would squeeze them into the last-eight stage as runners-up provided Zesco did not defeat Etoile.

Bilal el Megri and Tanzanian Simon Msuva scored to give El Jadida a 2-0 win over visiting Mouloudia Alger of Algeria and lift them from last to second in Group B.

Jadida, who scored a Champions League record 10 goals in a qualifier this season, celebrated a first group victory after taking only two points from four earlier outings.

TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo have secured first place, leaving Jadida, Mouloudia and fellow Algerian club Entente Setif on five points each.

Patrick Kaddu netted off a rebound seven minutes from time to earn Kampala Capital City Authority of Uganda a 1-0 home win over Township Rollers of Botswana in Group A.

Only pride was at stake, though, with record eight-time African champions Al Ahly of Egypt and Esperance of Tunisia having already booked the two quarter-finals places.