Nkana aim at Swallows

HONE SIAME from Mbabane reports:
NKANA today make a return to continental football after a 12-year absence when they take on Swazi outfit Mbabane Swallows in the 2014 CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg at Somhlolo National Stadium.
Coach Masautso Mwale will be looking for nothing short of victory to avoid being under pressure in the return leg set for this Saturday in Kitwe.
But it will not be easy for Nkana to beat Swallows, whose newly-appointed coach Chris ‘Gazza’ Tembo, knows Zambians strengths and weaknesses.
Tembo, who is assisted by Nyangu ‘Crooks’ Hlophe will be itching to dump Nkana out of the Champions League to prove to his employers that he is the right man for the job.
“I have got all my players here and they are all raring to go. I know a bit about our opponents as I got the chance to watch them play against Zanaco the last time they came to Zambia for the same championship. I have an idea about their culture of play even though it is possible that they have added a few players to their squad they brought to Zambia.
“We are ready to take them on and Zambians living here and back home should expect fire-works,” Mwale said.
In the build up to the match, Nkana lost 0-1 to South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, went down 1-2 to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) outfit Don Bosco, drew 1-1 with Don Bosco, beat DRC giants TP Mazembe 3-2 and edged Nchanga  Rangers 2-0 in last Saturday’s Samuel ‘’Zoom’’Ndhlovu Charity Shield semi-finals.
With such kind of statistics, Nkana are favourites to progress to the first round.
On the other hand, Swallows were battered 0-6 by South African side Kaizer Chiefs and drew 1-1 with SuperSport United.
Goalkeeper Rabson Mucheleng’anga, who recently joined Nkana from Nchanga Rangers, is expected to start ahead of Charles Mweemba with veteran Billy Mwanza and Christopher Munthali in central defence.
Masautso Zimba and Donashano Malama will be on the left and right flanks, respectively.
Skipper Sydney Kalume, Simon Bwalya and Claude Bwalya will anchor the midfield.
For goals, Mwale will bank on Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba and Francis Kombe but the duo need to be aggressive to expose Swallows defenders Elias Tsabalaka and Mandla Palma.
Midfielder Kelvin Mubanga, who netted one of the goals in Nkana’s 2-0 victory over Rangers, will play behind Kampamba and Kombe.
Should Kampamba and Kombe fail to find the back of the net, Lottie Nyimbili, Jimmy Ndhlovu and Shadrick Musonda will be introduced.
With the home fans beating drums in the terraces, Swallows will seek to cause an upset in the history of the CAF Champions League.
In prolific strikers Sabelo ‘Sikhali’ Ndzinise, Wonder ‘Samba Jive’ Nhleko and Lwazi ‘Zidane’ Maziya, Tembo has the material to overcome Nkana.
“We are ready. We have been preparing for the game against Nkana and last Sunday’s win just lifted the team’s spirit. We are working round the clock to ensure the team is fully fit for Nkana,” Tembo said.
Swallows received a major boost on Friday from Nedbank Swaziland that gave them kit sponsorship worth E50,000.
The kit comprises two sets of away and home jerseys, 30 tracksuits, the same number of T-shirts, 20 pairs of soccer boots and 30 caps.
The winners after two legs will face either Kampala City Council of Uganda or Sudanese giants El Merreikh in the first round.