AUGUSTINE MWANZA writes
@SunZambian
NAPSA Stars have qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup Playoffs on a 1-1 aggregate score having had an away goal advantage over the Mozambique side.
UD Songo took the lead at the 21st minute through Lau King and it took an Emmanuel Mayuka second half strike to equalise at the 75th minute.
Going into the match, Coach Mohammed Fathi had said he considered the second leg in Mozambique as a final.
“I think the game is open because the first leg ended 0-0 so if you look at the first result there is no winner no one qualified from the first leg, so this game is like a final it’s a decider, and if we reach 90minutes 0-0 at the end of the day we will have to go to a penalty shoot-out, we have a good chance it the same like them but we have a plan and by the grace of God this plan will work and will have some to take,” he said.
“I never play under pressure even the players never play under pressure cause if we play under pressure it means you won’t concentrate and it will cost us so we have a plan and we move on,” he added.
Fathi was also very quick to heap praise on UD Songo, who he believes are a very good side.
“There are very good in zones very good in marking but when you play home whats your objective you have to win so you have to open up, us we had a lot of chances despite them playing zone defense in the first round we had a lot of chances and I think when they open up we will have more chances because there are a bit heavy and us we are a bit fast so I think this is our advantage,” he said.
Fathi expressed happiness at the return of strikers Tapson Kaseba and Bornwell Mwape which he feels brings healthy competition to the team.
“I think these two they will give competition to Emmanuel mayuka, Chanda Mushili so I think now whoever is going to start has to prove himself its good when you have competition it will give you good result,” he said.
“It’s just concentration and focus and fight for the country they know what they are supposed to do,” he added.
Captain Dickson Chapa reaffirmed Napsa Stars’ ambitions of qualifying to the next round. “I think for us it’s a final, we want to qualify to the next round and I think what is needed before qualifying is to win the match, so we have come here with a winning mentality and we want to win the game, winning the game is what will make us qualify to the next round,” he said.
