… as El Masry mercilessly skin Green Buffaloes 4-0

By MICHAEL MIYOBA ZA BAIA’–S en vo y si n th e CAI F

CPRupOVIGNrCeEen Buffaloes were on Saturday evening humiliated to a 4-0 defeat by El Masry FC of Egypt in the first preliminary fixture played at Port-Said Stadium in Egypt.

The Bilton Musonda tutored “Go Boy Fight and Conquer” down when Islam Salah and Aris- tide Bance scored in the first half before Mohamed Koffi and Islam Eissa scored in the 52nd and 81th minute respectively to hand El Masry a 4-nil comfortable win.

Salah headed his side in front in the 14th minute, before Burkina Faso striker Bance smashed h o m e )fro mOinsi de t he a rea on 3 8 minutes.

Bance’s national team mate Koffe scored after the break, as Eissa completed the rout with a one-on-one effort following a counter attack by the hosts.

The defeat at Port Said left Buffaloes on the verge of an early exit from continental football

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The Zambia Army-sponsored side will now try and score five unanswered goals in the return leg fixture to be played in ten days in Lusaka to progress to the next round of one of Africa’s most prestigious club tournaments.

Musonda however believes that all is not lost for the soldiers as they have a return leg to make amends for their disappointing run in Egypt.

Speaking in a post-match interview, Musonda expressed disappointment with the result but noted that his team would prepare adequately for the return leg fixture to collect a positive result.

Meanwhile, Hossam commended his boys for having started the tournament on a positive note at Port Said Stadium, the site for the death of 72 people in Egypt’s worst violence at a soccer stadium.

Hossam said it was not over for the Eagles as they have to prepare for the return leg fixture to be played on February 20 in Lusaka.