• NKANA defenders Noel Phiri (left) and Joseph Lungu compete for the ball during a training session at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe on Thursday. Picture by MOFFAT CHAZINGWA

By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA –
NKANA search for their first Group B win in the 2014 CAF Confederation Cup when they host Sewe Sport of Cote d’Ivoire this afternoon at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
Coach Masauso Mwale’s side is rooted at the bottom of the group without a point after losing 2-nil away to Al Ahly of Egypt in Cairo on May 17 in their opening league phase game in Cairo.
A home win for Nkana will see them exchange places with third placed Sewe but a win in the same instance for Al Ahly tomorrow night away to Etoile in Sousse will see Mwale’s side move into second place.
However, Mwale is optimistic that Nkana will defy the odds on match-day two and pick up their first Group B win.
“We are determined to play a good game and we know how important this game is, especially the players they know what is at stake.
“We just need to work hard and get the result playing in front of our supporters at the own home ground,” Mwale said.
Mwale has been handed a further boost with news that striker Evans Kangwa has passed a late fitness test.
There was concern over Kangwa’s availability for the game after missing most of this week’s training following an ankle injury he sustained last weekend in Cairo against Al Ahly.
Mwale also welcomes back midfielder and captain Sydney Kalume who returns from suspension but he will still be without defender Christopher Munthali who is serving the last of his two-match ban.
A combination of Kangwa and Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba should do the trick for Nkana upfront in getting those needed goals with Rabson Mucheleng’anga set to continue in goal.
Veteran and experienced Billy Mwanza should hold the defence along with left-back Maybin Chishimba, Derrick Mwansa and Masautso Zimba while Kalume can partner either Ndonashano Malama, Claude Bwalya or Shadreck Musonda depending with who Mwale opts to start with.
Meanwhile, Sewe arrive for their first meeting against Nkana armed with one point after squandering a 1-nil home lead against 2006 champions Etoile du Sahel to draw 1-all in Abidjan on May 18.
However, Sewe captain Souleymane Dembele strongly believes they cannot fall to Nkana.
“It is a competition we didn’t come here to watch Nkana play. Even if we do not know them very well, we came here to win. I think we are having a great team and that we can go very far in this competition,” Dembele said.
Coach Rigo Gervis said his side is capable of picking up an away win against Nkana.
Gervis said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday that his team was very happy with Nkana’s hospitality despite the welcome hiccup on Wednesday when they arrived without prior notice in Zambia.
“For the first match we drew and we are coming here for either a win or a draw. The competition we are playing is all made up of good teams but even if we drew at home we can also win away,” Gervis said.