JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!
NKANA take on Sewe Sport of Ivory Cost in a final Group B match in Abidjan looking for a result to see them become the first Zambian club to reach the CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals.
The Kitwe side will attempt to do what Zesco United failed to do in the 2009 CAF Champions League and Zanaco in the 2010 Confederation Cup after tumbling in the group stage during their respective outings.
It is a dead-heat for all four teams in Group B with just one point separating the quartet heading into today’s deciding matches that will be played simultaneously at 17:00 hours. Al Ahly, Nkana, Sewe and Etoile du Sahel are on eight, seven, six and five points respectively.
Nkana must beat Sewe to advance to September’s semi-finals but a draw for them and a win for Al Ahly at home against Etoile in Cairo would still see the Beston Chambeshi’s side through to September’s two-legged semi-finals.
Defender Billy Mwanza believes the tie favours Nkana in Abidjan this afternoon.
“They are playing at home so they are under pressure. All we need to do is score and the sky’s the limit,” Mwanza said.
Nkana also head to Abidjan in search of their third successive win and first away three points following a 1-0 win over Al Ahly on August 9 and 4-3 victory over Etoile on July 26, both recorded at home.
However, Chambeshi has minor setbacks with striker Simon Bwalya and defender Christopher Munthali unavailable due to suspension and injury respectively.
The Nkana coach will be banking on the attacking duo of Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba and Festus Mbewe to try and get his sides’ first away win after suffering two defeats on the road.
Meanwhile, Sewe host Nkana boosted by their shock 1-nil away win over Etoile in Sousse on August 10 that raised hopes of their semi-final qualification.
“However we do it, we must just win, that’s it. Our away win in Sousse against the Tunisians will be meaningless if we don’t qualify,” Sewe coach Rigo Gervais said in a pre-match briefing in Abidjan.
Gervais has not major absentees and he welcomes back key striker Roger Assale from suspension. Assale is not new to Nkana after scoring the opening goal in the two sides 1-all draw in the first leg in Kitwe on May 24.
Times of Zambia
