Long season taking its toll

Cavin Johnson (above) has admitPlatinum Stars are battling tired legs as they begin their campaign tomorrow in the 2017 Caf Confederation Cup group stages.

Dikwena will face Algeria’s MC Alger in Phokeng in their Group B opener (5pm), after a hectic fixture schedule thus far in 2017, with progress through the continental qualifiers combined with a run to the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup and a jam-packed Absa Premiership programme.

Stars need to finish in the top two of a group also containing Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien and Swaziland’s Mbabane Swallows to reach the Confederation Cup quarterfinals.

“We expect a good run. We haven’t had time to prepare because of the league games we have been playing. Playing as many games as we have takes its toll.”

Stars also have injury problems – defender Siyabonga Zulu, goalkeeper Mbongeni Mzimela, midfielder Sibusiso Msomi and striker Ndumiso Mabena are all on the treatment table.

Johnson, meanwhile, says he has managed to garner some information on their opponents, who became the first side from Algeria to win a continental competition way back in 1976, when they lifted the African Cup of Champions Clubs (now the Caf Champions League).

MC Alger won the Algerian Cup in 2016 to qualify for this year’s Confederation Cup, and after a disappointing league campaign in 2015/16, are among the contenders for this season’s title, just three points behind leaders ES Setif. They are also in the semifinals of the 2017 Algerian cup.

The Algiers side reached this stage of the Confederation Cup by winning qualifiers against Bechem United of Ghana, Renaissance du Congo from the DRC and Young Africans of Tanzania.