By MUKWIMA CHILALA in Moroni, Comoros.
Continental envoys NAPSA Stars Football Club this afternoon make their CAF confederation cup debut as they take on Ngazi Sport in their preliminary round first leg fixture to be played at the Maluzini Stadium in the Comoros capital Moroni.
Striker Emmanuel Mayuka is making a return to the Comoros nine years later after his goal helped Zambia National Soccer Team beat that Country in a 2-1 win 2012 AfCON qualifier.
Mayuka is among the striking options that NAPSA coach Mohamed Fathi has lined up for this encounter.
Fathi also has other options in Chanda Mushili, Laudit Mavugo and Timothy Otieno as top men.
The NAPSA coach says he is aiming to score goals and finish off the match in the first leg in Moroni and later on seal it off at home next weekend.
Fathi could also be spoilt for choice in midfield as he has to look at options such as Jacob Ngulube, Danny Silavwe, Austin Banda, Dickson Chapa, Daniel Adoko, Musonda Kapembwa, Simon Nkhata and John Sikaumbwe .
In defense Fathi will bank on the solid defense pairing of Luka Banda and Luka Nguni, while Amos Simwanza, Smart Banda and Aaron Kabwe could be options.
In the flanks on both the right back and left back Fathi could bank on the experience of Bonwell Silengo who has already played at such a level before while Lawrence Chungu and Mumba Mwape could also be options.
And speaking after their final training session at the Maluzini Stadium here in Moroni, Fathi said he aiming for a win in the first leg and only seal off the match in the second leg to be played next week at home.
“As you can see from the players, morale is high and we are looking to collect a win so that we can just finish it off when we play at home. We are not worried about the high temperatures because they are not different from some of the places we have played from such as Solwezi so the players have acclimatized, ” Fathi said.
And captain of the side Dickson Chapa said that individual brilliance will be the difference in this afternoon’s game.
And Chapa said that the hot temperatures will not affect the team because they had prepared for it even before coming to Comoros.
” Sometimes you reach a point where you need individual brilliance to get the positive results and so we have encouraged some the players that if they can also use their individual brilliance of that’s what will win us the games,” Chapa said.
This is the second time that Ngazi are making return to the competition after having also featured in the 2018 edition.
Winner over two legs between NAPSA and Ngazi will progress to the first round and will face FC Songo of Mozambique who are on bye from the preliminary round.