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ZESCO United of Zambia have booked their place in the CAF Confederation Cup group stage for the first time since 2019 after securing a 1–1 draw against Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy on Saturday. The result saw the Zambian side progress 5–4 on aggregate in the final qualification round.
Chadian forward Amine Hiver gave ZESCO the lead in first-half stoppage time, but Thabang Sesinyi levelled for the home side eight minutes from full-time, setting up a tense finish. A second goal for Galaxy would have seen them advance on away goals, but ZESCO held firm to seal their return to continental group-stage competition.
Backed by Zambia’s national power company, ZESCO United’s best continental achievement remains reaching the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League in 2016. Their latest qualification marks a significant milestone in their resurgence after several years away from Africa’s elite competitions.
Elsewhere, Royal Leopard of Eswatini narrowly missed out on a historic qualification after pushing Maniema Union of the Democratic Republic of Congo to penalties. After 1–1 draws in both legs, the Congolese side triumphed 4–3 in the shootout to reach the group stage for the first time. Felix Badenhorst’s last-minute equaliser for Leopards forced spot-kicks after Dieumerci Lupini had opened the scoring early on.
In Tanzania, Singida Black Stars came from behind to defeat Burundi’s Flambeau Centre 3–1 at home, sealing a 4–2 aggregate victory. Second-half strikes from Horso Mwaku of Congo, Zambia’s Clatous Chama, and Ivorian Idriss Diomande overturned a 1–0 half-time deficit.
Meanwhile, Algeria’s USM Alger — one of three former Confederation Cup champions in this season’s competition — comfortably advanced with a 3–0 victory over Ivory Coast’s Academie FAD, overturning a 1–0 first-leg loss.
