MAMELODI Sundowns’Ramahlwe Mphahlele (left) beats Nkana striker Ronald Kampamba during an international friendly match at Kitwe’s Arthur Davies Stadium on Thursday. Sundowns won 1-0. – Picture by NKOMBO KACHEMBA.
By HONE SIAME
NKANA coach Masautso Mwale is not disappointed with the defeat to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns as he has enough time to prepare for the 2014 CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg against Mbabane Swallows of Swaziland.
Nkana, who were using the match to prepare for their February 9 match against Swallows, lost 0-1 to Sundowns in an exciting international friendly match on Thursday at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
Mwale said much as he would have loved to see Nkana beat Sundowns, he is satisfied with the performance of the players.
Mozambican international Elias Pelembe netted the solitary goal at the stroke of half time to secure Sundowns the first victory of their Zambian tour.
“I am not disappointed with the result because this is the first match we have played since the time we regrouped for training. I am happy that the boys have gelled well. All the new players accounted themselves well. They all worked hard and played as a team,” Mwale said.
He said Nkana would be ready for the match against Swallows billed for Mbabane.
Nkana face Democratic Republic of Congo side Don Bosco on Monday at Arthur Davies Stadium before travelling to Lubumbashi to battle it out against TP Mazembe next Saturday and Don Bosco the following day.
On midfielder Bruce Musakanya, who has joined Nkana on a six-month loan from Red Arrows, Mwale said the creative player would add a new dimension to the game.
Musakanya is expected to make his debut on Monday against Don Bosco.
“Musakanaya will add a new dimension to our game. We’ve been following him for a long time and we are happy that he is finally at Nkana,” Mwale said.
The new players Mwale featured in the match against Sundowns are goalkeeper Rabson Mucheleng’anga, defenders Derrick Mwansa, Maybin Chishimba, midfielders Simon Bwalya, Shadrick Musonda and striker Francis Kombe.
And Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane said Nkana are the toughest team his side has played since their arrival for the four-club international tournament, which had been jointly organised by Zesco United and Power Dynamos.
“Nkana are Champions League material. It was not easy for us to beat them. They are very strong and fit to be in the Champions League,”
Mosimane said. Mosimane also explained why he featured Zesco United players Charles Siyingwa, Kelly Sichilya and Bornwell Silengo in the match against Nkana.
“We have a depleted squad. We have injuries and several players who did not travel, so we requested Zesco United to allow us to use some of their players for this friendly match,” he said.
In Thursday’s match, Nkana started the match purposefully but Sundowns goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands denied Donashano Malama and Claude Bwalya. Kombe’s partnership with Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba looked lethal but could not yield goals.
Kombe smashed the cross-bar on 57 minutes.
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