By NDINAWE SIMPELWE and KALUMIANA KALUMIANA –
SMOUHA coach Moamen Suleiman has described as tricky playing Zesco United away in the first match of the CAF 2017 Confederation Cup Group C.
Suleiman described Zesco as a good side going by their achievement in the CAF Champions League last season.
“Zesco is a very good team. We all saw what they did last season in the Champions League. Starting away against Zesco is tricky. We know them well and respect them as we do with all teams. At this stage all the teams are almost equal,” Suleiman said.
Zesco are in the same group with Recreativo Do Libolo of Angola, Sudan’s Al-Hilal Al-Ubayyid and Smouha of Egypt in Group C of the second-tier continental club championship, the Confederation Cup.
He said Recreativo Libolo was another strong team and that his side would have to pay attention to all its opponents.
“We will start preparing for our Zambia trip and will use the domestic games in this. Out target is not only qualifying to the next round, but winning the trophy itself,” he said.
Meanwhile, African giants Al Ahly coach Ahmed Ayoub has said his target is to play in the World Cup and no team in their group would stand in their way.
Ahly was drawn in the same group as Zambian champions Zanaco, Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Coton Sport of Cameroon. Ahly will play its first game against Zanaco on the weekend of 12 to 14 May in Egypt.
Ayoub stressed that this team from the beginning of the season is winning the Champions League this year to return to the Club World Cup.
He told the club website that said he believed in the strength and experience of the team tournament of the team and was ready to face any opponent in the group.
“The group matches will be tough but the team is technically and physically ready and will be able to resolve things,” Ayoub said.
Ayoub said the team would have plenty of time before the first match against Zanaco to prepare themselves well, pointing out that the team would not only concentrate on African matches because of it also needed to with the local league.
