THE MTN Super League has returned to action this weekend after a week off owing to the ABSA Cup competition.
NAPSA Stars Football Club will be hosting Buildcon FC at 13:00hours tomorrow for a week-27 match which will be played at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Team Head Coach Perry Mutapa has previewed this match in a Pre-Match Press Briefing held with the media via zoom this morning.
Here’s how the briefing went;
What are your expectations ahead of this match against Buildcon FC?
Expectations are obviously high playing at home, everyone is expecting us to win but football being what it is, I think from our side, it’s a tricky encounter because it will be a game of 11 v 11. We have watched Buildcon several times and even after their game against Power Dynamos, they played well until the red card, they had better chances with log leaders, and I know it was going to be a different game before the red card. So, it’s a tricky encounter especially when everyone is expecting us to win. So, from our side, we have to be tuned that the game is only won after 90 minutes.
You are playing a Buildcon side that depending on results elsewhere, a win from your side will relegate them, what approach will you take from your side especially also playing a fellow young coach with equally good tactics?
Chimunya Mweetwa, a very good coach. And like I said, Buildcon are not a bad side, and this is a very tricky encounter. Our approach will be not to underrate them and try to score first so we don’t give them confidence to dictate play. So, it’s a tricky encounter but we are at home, and we are not safe where we are on the log. So, anything from Lumwana who are second from bottom or Nkwazi and Chambishi, it’s just a matter of two or three games and they can leapfrog us, so it’s a game we are taking seriously but it will be a tough one.
How are you going to handle the remaining games looking at how you had done well in January and went on not to do well in February?
We are done with February it’s in the past and we have forgotten about it. We are confident of the remaining games. We started with doing well against a good Kabwe Warriors side so we know March will be good to us.
You are going into a very crucial stage of the league, with some of the best players at the national team, do you think you can still do well tomorrow?
We only have Augustin Mulenga, Luka Banda with the senior team, and Jimmy Mukeya who is with the under-23. But the two players at the senior team are still up for selection so we will have them available. It’s only Jimmy Mukeya that will miss out because he has travelled out with the Under-23. He did well for us scoring in the last match against Warriors and we shall miss him, but we know he has to help the national team who are fighting to qualify for AFCON. And with this Buildcon game, we cannot overemphasize, it’s crucial and tricky, but we have to get maximum points.
Any hopes of qualifying for Continental football?
I have said it that I could have gone to coach other teams, but I chose NAPSA Stars, a team that was in Division One and we did so well. We qualified the team back to the Super League and won the ABSA Cup, and that was the foundation for us.
Remember this is a team that played continental football, did well by reaching Group Stage in their debut, and went on to get relegated. So, we will not run before we walk, we are coming from Division One hence our focus now is to stay in the league.
So, it’s tricky for us and we won’t think of continental football with where we are coming from. For now, we must stabilize then target other things when we know we have made the cut.
Do you think the one week break your team has had will disturb the team’s winning momentum?
This is the second round of the season, and it’s good for us to manage the fatigue. So, in that break we tried to manage that, and we expect the guys to come out fully charged in this game after the break.
How are you psyching your boys against underrating Buildcon going into this match?
The most important thing is not to underrate Buildcon because they are a good side. Yes, they have their own problems but obviously their players want to showcase their talent looking for greener pastures especially looking at how their team might be going into Division One, so they will have no pressure but just to enjoy the game and that is what makes the game tricky.
This has been our song from last week not to underrate Buildcon and not to win before the game is over.
How do you feel playing home away from home?
With works that will be happening at The Heroes Stadium, we will take our games away, so we have no option but to adjust.
Any injury concerns?
Leonard Mulenga is out owing to injury and it’s sad especially after he played so well in Kabwe. But that is why we have a full squad so we shall find a replacement.