Zambia CAF Champions League envoys Zesco United will today be seeking to regain confidence in the continental competition when they host Angolan side Primiero de Agosto after their shaky group stage start.
Zesco have only managed to pick a point from the two games they have played so far and are lying third in their group.
Getting in to match day three, Zesco will have no option but to collect maximum points off the Angolan side if hopes of qualifying to the quarter finals are still alive.
From a disastrous league fixture against rivals Nkana last Friday, the Zesco fans would want to prove their innocence in the presence of visitors.
The George Lwandamina-tutored sidehave failed to replicate their impressive local league run in the continental competition.
As Zambia’s sole survivors in the CAF inter-club competitions, the country will be behind Zesco in today’s match although they drew their last home game with Swaziland side Mbabane Swallows.
Zesco lost their second leg 2-1 to Etoile du Sahel away in Tunisia two weeks later.
Lwandamina, however believes his team will start replicating their local league performance. We have done well in the local league and I believe the players can replicate the same. This will be a very interesting game,” he said.
With the likes of veteran goalkeeper Jacob Banda who is the captain of the side and goal poacher, Jesse Jackson Were, Lwandamina can afford to sit back and relax knowing things will e taken care of on the pitch.
“We have not played Agosto before and we expect a very tough match. What is important is to remain focused and do our best on the pitch,” Banda said.
The Angolans who also have a poin t but trailing at the rock bottom of group because of an inferior goal difference have everythinng to play for.
In their first two group games, Agosto settled for a one-all draw against Etoile du Sahel on May 5 before losing 1 – 0 loss to Swallows two weeks later.
Some of the players that could make a difference for the visitors include strikers Carilo Da Silva Alfonso Fofo and Dorivado Vado.
Despite being at the bottom of the table, coach Zoran Manojlovic believes his side still has a chance to recover.
“This is a very important game for us. We did not start well and we are here for a win. We are still in the game to qualify, 12 points is a lot to play for,” he said.
