Power Dynamos’ Historic Caf Champions League Journey Signals Return To Africa’s Biggest Stage

BY PAUL SIMPELWE

FOR decades, the story of Power Dynamos on the continental stage felt incomplete like a tale frozen in time since that glorious day in 1991 when the Kitwe giants conquered Africa and lifted the Mandela Cup.

But in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League, something changed. This was no longer a club chasing echoes of its past. This was a team writing a new chapter.

When Power clinched the 2024/25 MTN Super League title ahead of rivals ZESCO United, it was another chance to rewrite history in the Champions League.

The MTN Super League champions, whose domestic consistency carried them to the title ahead of ZESCO, entered the Champions League with uncertain expectations. History was against them, Power had never reached the CAF group stages since the format was introduced in 1997 and worse no Zambian team had qualified to the group stage in the last five years.

Since winning the “CAF Cup Winners” Cup, also known as the “Mandela Cup” in 1991, Power has underperformed every time they have qualified for CAF interclub competitions. The year they won the Mandela Cup, CAF had not yet introduced the group stages.

Immediately after being crowned MTN Super League champions, Power coach Osward Mutapa declared the team needed to make a mark in the Champions League with group stage as the main target.

“It is time to start working and planning. We need to beef up with players we feel can help us in both the league and CAF championships. We need players especially in attack and midfield. We want to see if we can bring back the two slots we lost. So, the first target will be the group stage and see what happens from there,” Mutapa said.

Power’s journey began in the preliminary round where they were drawn against Ivorian powerhouse ASEC Mimosas. It was the kind of tie that often ends Zambian campaigns before they truly begin. But Power refused to follow the script.

The Zambian champions laid the foundation for qualification with a narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on September 20 2025, thanks to an Innocent Kashita goal in the seventh minute.

However, ASEC managed to secure the same victory in the return leg a week later to secure a 1-1 draw on aggregate forcing the game to be decided on penalties.

Despite being away, Power held their nerves and beat the hosts 4-5 on penalties thanks to successful spot kicks by Moses Shumah, Titus Chansa, Kondwani Chiboni, Ayodeji Bamidele and Chifundo Mphatsi.

The next hurdle was the decisive pre–group stage round against Ugandan giants Vipers SC.

Few expected the Zambian side to pull off a result away from home, but Power stunned their hosts with a 2-1 victory in Uganda with goals from Shumah and an own goal by Derrick Ndahiro cancelling out Yunus Sentamu goal.

The return leg was played on Zambia’s Independence Day, October 24th and Shumah scored again in a 1-1 draw to seal a 3-2 aggregate triumph and secured the club’s historic passage to the Champions’ League group stage.

For Mutapa, the moment marked a personal milestone as he became the first coach to guide Power into the competition’s group phase.

“I said it that it is important that we qualify and give the Zambians a 61st birthday present. But for me what was important was qualification to the group stage. We are happy that we qualified,” Mutapa said.

With group stage qualification achieved, the club awaited to learn who their opponents would be as the draws loomed. If qualification was historic, the group stage draw was daunting.

Former Chipolopolo captain Christopher Katongo conducted the draws as he drew a team at a time until Power’s name came up.

Power were placed in Group A alongside defending champions Pyramids FC of Egypt, RS Berkane of Morocco, the then reigning Confederation Cup holders and Nigerian side Rivers United FC.

For a team making its debut at this level, the group represented a baptism of fire but while everyone feared for Power, Mutapa was excited with the draws.

“I felt excited when Katongo mentioned the Power Dynamos name in the group stage of the champions league.

It is a tough group which has champions of the champions league as well as champions of confederation cup. Also, Rivers is a team that has been in the quarter final of the confederation cup. It is a group of big boys but we are equally big boys and that is why we are in the same group,” Mutapa said.

But the early matches exposed the harsh realities of top-level continental football.

Power opened their campaign with a 3-0 defeat away to Berkane before suffering a narrow 1-0 loss at home to Pyramids.

A goalless draw against Rivers at home in the next match offered a glimpse of resilience, but it was clear the team was still adjusting to the demands of continental football.

The pressure was mounting on Mutapa and the team after playing the first three games of the group without scoring a goal and only picking one point from a possible nine. Fans feared for the worst of what would come in the return legs.

“I’m disappointed with the result. This is a game we created a lot of chances, played all the football but didn’t score. I feel in the last 10 minutes it even became dangerous because our players became frustrated and wanted a goal and we left behind two against three which is not good,” Mutapa said after the draw against Rivers.

As the tournament resumed, Power began to show greater confidence and composure.

The return fixture against Rivers in Nigeria produced a famous 1-0 victory, the club’s first goal and win in the group stage. Defender, Chiboni’s goal in the 50th minute proved decisive and sparked the team’s revolution in the group.

Momentum continued when Power hosted Berkane in Ndola and delivered an impressive 2-0 victory with goals from Ronel Manyanga and Prince Mumba to keep their quarter-final hopes alive. Suddenly, the Zambian champions were back in contention.

Heading into the final group match, Power needed a win away to Pyramids in Egypt while hoping Rivers would beat Berkane. But the task proved too great. Despite a spirited performance, Power fell 3-1 to the Egyptian champions, ending their dream of reaching the quarter-finals.

Pyramids finished the group unbeaten on 16 points followed by Berkane with 10 points while Power was three points behind in third place on seven points and Rivers was bottom with one point.

Even so, the campaign left a lasting impression as the debutants showed remarkable growth and competitiveness against some of Africa’s strongest clubs.

Mutapa reflected on the team’s exit and said he had picked valuable lessons, promising the team will do better next time.

“We have taken lessons from these games. Of course, also looking back at the games we played before this game where maybe we could have taken maximum points. Especially playing at home, we need to win all our home games,” Mutapa said.

The players echoed Mutapa’s feelings after the exit. Midfielder Owen Tembo described the group stage performance as a great experience for the players.

“It has been a great experience to most of us. All I can say is that I’m so proud of this group. They gave their all.

It is a motivation to us so that we defend the title,” Tembo said.

Defender Dominic Chanda said the team did well despite not reaching the quarter final.

“We did well, it wasn’t an easy game. We knew what was ahead of us. I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of everyone,” Chanda said.

Midfielder Salulani Phiri promised that Power will bounce back stronger and will re-write their script.

“We may be out of the CAF Champions League, but we walk tall and proud. Thank you to our amazing fans who believed in us and reminded us that it was possible. This is not the end of our story, winners always rewrite the script. We’ll be back stronger,” Phiri.

And delegation leader, Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) representative, Brian Sakulenga urged Power to work on a few areas that will make them compete at the top.

He said the team had done an excellent job representing Zambia and was proud of the levels of discipline.

“There are just a few things that Power Dynamos need to work on or iron out so that next time we will be able to do it better, we will be able to defeat other teams like Pyramids and other strong teams,” Sakulenga said.

Club chief executive officer Gibson Chaloba summarized the team’s group stage debut as something the team needs to aspire for every season.

Chaloba said the club has realised how lucrative competing in the group stages is and will do whatever it takes to support the team so that it continues to compete in the group stage.

Despite competing in the group stage for the first time Chaloba said the club is not satisfied with an early exit and vowed to return and win it next season.

“We were not satisfied per se because this competition one should be able to plan to win it. Of course, our goal was to reach the group stage which we ably attained.

Now that we managed to go to the group stage, I think we need to redevelop our goal, probably to go up to the semifinal and the like. For now, let’s say we are happy, we have learnt lessons. We are not satisfied, if we say we are satisfied, next year we will come again and reach the group stage,” Chaloba said.

He promised that Power will return wounded next season and go all the way.

“We have won it before, so there is nothing like putting our bar too low. We are aiming high because that is where the moneys are and we want to get that money. These moneys should not just be left to the Arab countries.

“We will come back wounded. We have learnt a lot and this time when we come back into this competition, our bar, our focus is to reach the finals because we are not just spending to reach the group stages. We want to go there, reach the finals and win it,” Chaloba said.

For finishing third in the group, Power is guaranteed to pocket US$700,000 (about K13.7million) which may increase before the close of the season.

For Power, the achievement carried even greater significance considering that when the club lifted the CAF Cup Winners’ Cup, popularly known as the Mandela Cup, in 1991, the competition did not feature a group stage format.

Now, more than three decades later, the Kitwe giants have finally broken new ground in the modern Champions League era. And although their maiden group stage journey ended before the knockout rounds, it was a campaign that signaled Power’s return to Africa’s biggest stage.