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NAPSA Stars coach Mohamed Fathi says defeat to CAF Confederations Cup defending champions RS Berkane in Group B will not derail the Zambian envoys to achieve their target of going all the way in the continental competition.
Speaking after the Zambian envoys were stunned 2-0 by RS Berkane in Morocco, Fathi said it is not over for the Pensioners who still have five games to play in Group B.
Fathi said the Pensioners picked lessons from defeat to the defending champions who he described as an experienced side.
Despite losing in Morocco Fathi said he was impressed with the way his boys accounted for themselves in the away fixture.
“I really appreciate the effort the players gave, they played the game and showed no fear. I think we will pick it up from here and go back home and try to win our home games.
“We still have games, it’s not over but we learned one or two issues from this game,” Fathi said.
Berkane got their campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over the Zambian envoys thanks to first half goals from Hamza Hamiani Akbi and Mouhssine Iajour.
Hamza opened the scores within 12 minutes after kick off before Lajour’s goal which doubled Berkane’s advantage a minute before the break.
In the second half the Pensioners kept a clean sheet but had the woodwork to thank as it blocked Berkane from getting their third goal of the night.
Napsa Stars’s defeat in Morocco came a few hours after Zambian champions Nkana were humbled 3-0 by Egyptian giants Pyramids FC.
“It’s unfortunate that we lost 3-0. I think the biggest challenge is the way we are defending. I think this is the fourth game we are conceding early goals.
“We are not strong. There is no resistance in defence, any attack is ending in goal. We need to really work hard in the way that we need to defend as team,” Nkana coach Kelvin Kaindu said after the loss to Pyramids.
Nkana’s next fixture is slated for next Wednesday against Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca while Napsa Stars will play hosts to JS Kabylie from Algeria.