Zanaco have declared that the 2018 FAZ Super Division title race is over for them.
The seven-time champions and 2017 runners-up were dismantled 3-0 away by 2018 winners and current league leaders Zesco United on Saturday in Ndola to suffer their third straight league defeat.
That loss left the 2016 champions seventeen points behind Zesco with eleven games to go.
“It is not possible for us to win the league,” Zanaco coach Mumamba Numba said.
“We have now refocused our plans and all we are working on now is try and finish within the top four brackets then we we can pick it up from there next year.
“Looking at the rate Zesco and Green Buffaloes are going, I am very positive Zesco will retain the league title.”
Zanaco have not failed to finish in the top four since 2013 when they ended the campaign at number five.
And now Zanaco’s only hopes for silverware this year will be in the Barclays Cup, a competition in which they are the holders and perennial campaigners following their 2017 debut win in a competition.
They are also hold the record of most Barclays appearances despite just the one triumph.
