Eswatini and ZESCO United defender Lindo Mkhonta celebrates Absa Cup triumph

After a long and successful career with the Eswatini national team and in his home country with club Young Buffaloes, ZESCO United defender Lindo Mkhonta has now won silverware abroad.

The 34-year-old veteran captured Zambia’s Absa Cup over the weekend after ZESCO defeated Red Arrows in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the final on Saturday. It was the seventh Absa Cup trophy for ZESCO who also finished as runners-up in Zambia’s soon to be completed top flight MTN Super League season.

“Winning this cup will boost my CV and it shows the growth as a player as I have been working towards these results since I got here in 2023. I’ve always wanted a cup to my name and now I have finally achieved that,” Mkhonta told the Eswatini Observer.

The versatile defender spent his entire club career with Young Buffaloes until making the move abroad to ZESCO, winning the 2019-20 Premier League of Eswatini with the club. Mkhonta is also a regular sight in the Eswatini national team where he has over forty appearances for his nation.

Mkhonta played a key role during ZESCO’s cup run, scoring twice including a composed finish in the 2-0 quarterfinal victory over Konkola Blades.

Now Mkhonta will have an opportunity to return to a competition he knows well, the CAF Confederation Cup. Having participated in the continental tournament multiple times, he has never reached the group stage after suffering elimination in the preliminary stages with Young Buffaloes. Late in his career, Mkhonta now has another challenge to work towards next season when ZESCO tries their luck in a top African competition.

Also a key member of the Eswatini national team, Mkhonto is one of four players based abroad who were called into the team for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying back in March. He played every minute of both games as Eswatini did well to scrap out draws with Cameroon (0-0) and Mauritius (3-3).