MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
HISTORY beckons this afternoon as Zesco United and Green Eagles battle it for the 2019 transitional league to be played at the Woodlands Stadium.
Choma’s Eagles will be looking to make history by being the first team outside the midlands to win the league title since inception in 1962.
Eagles have slowly earned their right to sit among the elite of the Zambian games and can no longer be dismissed as underdogs.
Their back-to-back taste of continental credentials put them among the big boys of the Zambian game.
Having only been in the super league for 11 years, Eagles have now become a permanent feature among the top guns.
The team that only got its first promotion in 2008 will now be fancying their chances to win their first ever Super League title.
Eagles coach Aggrey Chiyangi who is a former Zambia international will now be looking to add another badge to his career after winning COSAFA trophy last month.
Standing in Eagle’s path are seven time champions Zesco United who will be looking forward to winning a third title in a row.
Zesco has won back to back titles after being crowned in 2017 and 2018 thereby going into this fixture as defending champions.
Buoyed by confidence, exactly seven days after winning the 2019 ABSA Cup, Zesco could be looking forward to adding another crown in their trophy cabinet.
But Zesco will be missing the services of star striker Lazarous Kambole who has left to join South Africa’s Kaizer Chiefs.
Despite losing one of their goal poachers, the Ndola-side will still be pitted favourites having won the title seven times in the last 14 years of their existence in the Super league.
In the other fixtures will see Buildcon and Zanaco square off for a third slot finish in the transitional league.
Zanaco will be looking for redemption after failing to win the Barclays Cup last Sunday after their humiliating loss to rivals ZESCO.
On the other side , a third place finish could add glamour to Buildcon who only three years ago were nonexistent.
All the top four teams competing this afternoon have already qualified to represent Zambia in continental competition next season.
ZESCO and Eagles will compete in the champion league while Buildcon and Zanaco will compete in the confederations cup.
