29/08/2026
๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ก ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐-๐ฆ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฌ
Livingstone Pirates Football Club.โs journey towards the new season continued with another encouraging display of intensity, discipline, tactical organisation and game management as The Thunder Boys secured a 2โ1 victory over Faz Division Three side Zesco Academy in a pre-season friendly played yesterday.
The 90-minutes encounter was structured to provide valuable match fitness to the entire squad, with both teams fielding different sets of players in each half. The arrangement also gave the respective technical benches an opportunity to assess player combinations, test tactical systems and fine-tune their preparations ahead of next weekendโs season openers in different divisios.
From the opening whistle, Livingstone Pirates adopted a high-intensity approach, pushing Zesco Academy deep and applying sustained pressure on their build-up play. Both sides enjoyed periods of possession and showed glimpses of attacking quality, producing an entertaining contest that drew the attention of both technical benches and a sizeable crowd.
Despite the intensity and chances created at either end but most from the hosts, neither side managed to break the deadlock, with the opening 45 minutes ending goalless.
The second half brought a fresh dimension to the contest as both teams introduced new personnel, injecting renewed energy and intensity into the game. Zesco Academy were first to find the breakthrough when Boyd Ahazi rose highest inside the box to meet a corner and powered a free header into the net to put the visitors ahead.
Livingstone Pirates, however, responded with composure and purpose. The equaliser came through the right back Francis Phiri, who produced a superb finish from outside the 18-yard box following a neat interchange of passes involving Charles Chewe, bringing the score level at 1โ1.
Rather than allowing the momentum to shift, The Thunder Boys continued to press aggressively and looked to force Zesco Academy into defensive errors and that pressure paid dividends approximately ten minutes later.
A sustained high press forced Zesco Academy into conceding corner after corner and the Thunder Boys capitalised from one the resulting set-pieces as Astin Phiri rose above the defenders to head home and complete the turnaround.
The final whistle confirmed a 2โ1 victory for Livingstone Pirates, but the significance of the encounter extended well beyond the result as the friendly provided the technical team with valuable competitive minutes, tactical lessons, opportunities for squad rotation, physical conditioning and the chance to assess different combinations and formations.
With the 2026 Transition League season fast approaching, The Thunder Boys will take plenty of positives from the performance as preparations continue.
#๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | #๐พ๐๐จ๐๐๐ป๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐
#๐ท๐๐๐
๐๐ถ๐๐ป๐๐๐ป๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐
Livingstone City Council
Livingstone made soccer