“The loss is disappointing, but competing with a great team like Ahly with the presence of their enthusiastic supporters is really a sufficient experience for our young players,” Simukonda said in the press conference after the game.

The Red Devils booked their place in the tournament’s group stage after defeating the Zambian side 1-0 at Cairo stadium on Sunday. The aggregate score is the same after the first leg ended with goalless in Zambia.

The second-leg was halted for around five minutes during second half after Ahly’s supporters lit several fireworks and Simukonda believes that these events were a factor in the result.

ZESCO’s Billy Mwanza was taken to hospital after an object thrown from the stands struck his arm.

“We delivered a good performance, but our players were negatively affected by the horror atmosphere and the injury of Mwanza which was for the sake of Ahly,” the coach explained.

Ahly football director Sayed Abdel-Hafiz visited Mwanza in hospital and confirmed that the player’s injury is not serious.

“He left the hospital in a good condition,” Abdel-Hafiz, was quoted as saying by Ahly’s official website on Monday.