Wed, 21 Jun 2017 09:28:26 +0000
By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIA’S envoys in the CAF Champions league tournament, Zanaco will this afternoon seek to increase their chances of qualifying for the quarter finals of Africa’s most prestigious club tournament when they take on Cameroons’ Cotton Sport FC in Garoua.
The Zambian champions will seek to collect maximum points against a team they beat 2-1 the last time the two teams met on June 3 at Lusaka’s National Heroes Stadium.
Two beautifully struck goals from Saith Sakala and Kitumbo Mpiana propelled Zanaco to the summit of group D.
The win was Zanaco’s second in the tournament having collected their first CAF Champions’ league group stage win on May 24 when they beat Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca in a cagy fixture played at the National Heroes stadium.
The Zambians command group D of the Africa’s most prestigious club tournament with seven points on par with second placed Al Ahly who have seven points collected from the first three games.
And despite Zanaco having beaten the Cameroonians and maintaining top position in the group D, Coach Numba Mumamba said the Zambian champions will not underrate their opponents.
Mumamba said Cotton Sport was an experienced side that had played in CAF Champions league for a long period.
He however cautioned his players to convert chances which will be created during the game if they were to win the tie.
“The game against Cotton Sport is very important. We are playing away from home and I believe we are ready because we have done everything to prepare ourselves for the game.
“Cotton Sport might be without any win in the group but they are a very strong and disciplined side. Having played them at home, we know what they are capable of doing,” Mumamba said.
“It is not a team to underrate but they are a beatable side even at their own home ground” He added.
Meanwhile Cotton Sport will seek to collect their first win of this year’s CAF Champions league tournament when they host Zanaco in today’s fixture.
The Cameroonians have suffered a hat-trick of defeats in Group D of the CAF Champions League tournament.
Cotton sport lost 2-0 to Wydad Casablanca and went on to record the same score line at home to Egyptian outfit Al Ahly before their 2-1 defeat to Zanaco.
