PREVIEW: NUMBA PLOTS AHEAD OF ROYAL AM CAF ENCOUNTER

Zambia’s flag carriers in this year CAF Confederation Cup ZESCO United opens their account in Africa’s coveted football showpiece on Sunday against Royal AM of South Africa.

ZESCO United is the country’s only remaining envoy in the 2022/23 CAF interclub competition following Red Arrows failure to sail past Pedro De Agosto in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League qualifiers.

The Ndola based Zambia Super League giants will be up against a Royal AM side that has had a feel of the competition following their success in the first-round qualification which saw them dump Mbabane Highlanders out of the competition.

Mumamba Numba is however unfazed by Royal’s already pumped up ego when the two teams meet at the Moses Mabhida stadium.

Numba has carried a talented 20-man squad which he will be expecting to deliver a positive result.

This is a reincarnated ZESCO United squad which boosts of new, experienced, old and young players who will be expected to make Mother Zambia proud by going beyond the qualifying series.

Ian Otieno is ordained to start between the sticks ahead of Zambia’s international and club second choice shot stopper Gregory Sanjase.

Clement Mwape will be expected to be the custodian of the backline supported by Solomon Sakala, Shemy Mayembe, Jackson Ngulube, Peter Maker Manyang and Samson Mkandawire.

Numba is however expected to have a nightmare in picking his best midfield from a pack of talented star players.

Combative and exciting defensive midfielder Kelvin Kapumbu is expected to play a major role in providing cover for the attacking midfielders.

Kelvin Kampamba, Kizito Kezironi, John Chingandu, Collins Sikombe, Mukuka Chanda, Austin Muwowo, Songa Chipyoka and Edward Lungu will all be fighting to get a place in the starting eleven.

ZESCO United have labored in front goal in their previous league matches. Numba will however be hoping that Alfred Leku and Enock Sakala find their finishing boots in tomorrow’s crunching tie.

In his pre-match comments, Numba has declared his side ready for tomorrow fixture against Royal AM.

“We have acclimatized well and adapted to the weather conditions. The team is ready and looking forward to tomorrows game. We have done everything we could to make sure that we prepare the team mentally and physically so that they could give us the result that we need here.

“We have come here to win. This is not a match we are taking lightly. We have come to finish our mission here. We know that our opponents are fairly a good side, but we equally have a team that can give us the result.”

The ZESCO United gaffer expects his side to emulate the success of the Zambia Women’s and Men’s National Teams that won the Women’s and Men’s Cosafa editions respectively.

“I think we need to emulate the success of our colleagues and work hard as we play Royal tomorrow because we have a team that can give us a victory tomorrow. Everyone is in good shape and look sharp in training,” Mumamba added.

Author: Desmond Katongo