Eagles face Pirates test
…as Zesco, Buildcon face eSwatini opponents
ZAMBIA’s envoys in the CAF Champions League Green Eagles’s quest to storm the group stage of the lucrative CAF inter club championship comes under scrutiny when the Choma-based outfit face South Africa’s Orlando Pirates in today’s preliminary fixture at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
The Aggrey Chiyangi-tutored “Tonka Tweende” as they are affectionately called by their fans will seek maximum points to keep their hopes of qualifying for the group stage alive. With Pirates considered as the pre-match favourites because of their star-studied squad, Chiyangi, who is also Zambia national team caretaker coach says Eagles is not intimidated. At a pre-match press conference at Football House, Chiyangi said Eagles had prepared adequately and were ready to take on the 2013 CAF Champions League runner-up. But Eagles will miss the services of captain Caeser Hakaluba and central defender Boniface Sunzu who have been ruled out of the game because of injuries. He noted that Eagles is not intimidated playing the South Africans who have a lethal striking department consisting of the Zambian trio of Augustine Mulenga, Justin Shonga and former Nkana striker Austin Muwowo. Chiyangi will rely on his number one shot stopper Sebastian Mwange to provide cover in goal while defenders Samson Manyepa, Benson Nzuma, Gift Wamundila, Andrew Kwiliko, Warren Kunda and Bonson Muchindu are expected to start in the absence of Sunzu. Midfielder Spencer Sautu and top man Tapson Kaseba will be expected to get the goals for Eagles while Pirates who shunned the pre-match press conference yesterday will rely on the former Zanaco FC striker Augustine Mulenga and Shonga, a former Nkwazi FC winger to help the South Africans get a win away from home. Other players who could win Pirates the game away from home include Thembinkosi Lorch who is the reigning PSL Footballer of the Year and arguably the best player in South Africa at the moment. Defender Happy Jele is also one of the experienced defenders and captain who Pirates will look up to after he helped them reach the 2013 Champions League final and last season's group stage. Meanwhile, Zambian champions, Zesco United coach Goerge Lwandamina has challenged his lads to go for a convincing win against Green Mamba FC of eSwatini. Lwandamina said players know what is at stake and he is confident they will not disappoint when they face the Mambas. He is happy that the six foreign players that were left out due to visa issues joined the rest of the squad in South Africa en-route to eSwatini. In Ndola, Buildcon coach Tennant Chembo has declared his charges ready for Young Buffaloes from eSwatini as the teams are set to face off this afternoon at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.