Zlatko Krmpotic’s future looks shaky after Zesco United’s 2017 CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal dreams suffered a massive setback on Tuesday with an away defeat at CRD Libolo in Angola.
The 2016 CAF Champions League semifinalist were humiliated 3-0 by Libolo in Calulo to suffer their worst loss in CAF competition since Kano Pillars beat them 3-2 in a 2009 CAF Champions League group match in Nigeria.
Zesco’s Loss was their second successive away defeat in Group C that has also been littered with unconvincing 1-0 home wins as they attempt to reach the knockout round for a second successive season following their milestone run in the 2016 CAF Champions League.
Julsy Kaya hurt Zesco with a brace in the 8th and 76th minutes while Fabricio Simoes made sure from the penalty spot with the 3rd goal in the 79th minute that it was an impossible for Krmpotic’s men to climb in Calulo.
Zesco are now winless away in Group C from their two games on the road after new leaders Al Hilal Obied beat them 1-0 in Sudan.
The defeat also sees Zesco drop from 1st to 3rd in Group C on 6 points,tied with Libolo who rise from bottom to 2nd after the win.
Obied rose from 3rd to 1st on 7 points on Tuesday following a 2-1 home win in Sudan over Smouha of Egypt who drop from 2nd to bottom on 4 points after four games played.
Meanwhile, Krmpotic faces his biggest test of his five-month old tenure when Zesco travel to Egypt to face Smouha on June 30 in their penultimate Group C match that they must not lose to have a realistic chance of qualifying to the quarterfinals in September.
The top two teams from each of the four groups qualifies to the last 8.
