• NKANA striker Festus Mbewe tries to get past Etoile du Sahel defender Hamdi Nagguez during the 2014 CAF Confederation Cup Group B match at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe. Nkana won 4-3. Picture courtesy of the FAZ

By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA  –
NKANA hope to settle scores with Al Ahly of Egypt when they meet in a 2014 Confederation Cup Group B penultimate tie this afternoon at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
Al Ahly welcomed continental group stage debutants Nkana to the league phase of the competition on May 17 with a 2-nil home win at Petrosport Stadium in Cairo. But Nkana will be aiming at beating their visitors to enhance their chances of qualifying for the semi finals.
Nkana coach Beston Chambeshi heads into today’s game after a memorable start on his first day on the job with a 4-3 home over Etoile du Sahel on July 26. That win lifted Nkana from bottom to third on four points from as many games played.
“This is the group stage we are not looking at the last game. This is a must win game so that we maintain ourselves in the race and we want to reach the semi-final. We are not under pressure. We just want to prepare our team mentally and physically and want to pick up the three points,” Chambeshi said.
Chambeshi will have a strong side at his disposal led by striker Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba who has two goals in the group stage and five in total in continental action this year.
But Nkana have one suspension with winger Shadreck Musonda out serving a one match ban though striker Festus Mbewe and defender Derrick Mwansa are expected to be back in the team after missing last Tuesday’s away friendly against TP Mazembe due to injury and illness respectively.
Meanwhile, Al Ahly are unbeaten against Nkana from three games since their first meeting in 1983 with two home wins plus a draw away in Kitwe.
The Egyptians lead Group B on eight points from four games and have yet to lose away in the group stage with two draws on the road. Al Ahly trace their last defeat on the road in continental action to April when they lost 2-1 away to Diffaa El Jadida of Morocco.
And Al Ahly assistant coach and ex-Egypt international Wael Gomaa said they are expecting nothing but a win despite Etoile falling in Kitwe a fortnight ago.
“Nkana showed us that they are strong at home, it won’t be easy for us. We hope it will be a good game,” Gomaa said.
Al Ahly have some minor injury concerns with new striker Mohamed Farouk passed fit to play in his second match since joining them from Arab Contractors while winger Walid Soliman was by press time set for a late fitness test.
A draw for Al Ahly this afternoon will see them advance to next month’s semi-finals with a match to spare.