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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS How Mine FC will be out to add misery to their first leg of the first round Orange Caf Confederation Cup opponents St Michel of Seychelles who will be making their third visit to Zimbabwe in 15 years.
The match is tabled for Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday with the Indian Ocean islanders expected in Bulawayo tomorrow.
In 2000 the Indian Ocean island republic was hosted by Highlanders in a Champions League first round clash where they lost 0-1 in Bulawayo before Bosso completed their double in Seychelles with a 2-0 win courtesy of goals by Alexander Phiri who struck from range at Stade Linite.
St Michel were to return in 2002 to face Shabanie in a Caf Confederation match and again, they failed to register a win in Zimbabwe.
In an interview yesterday, Ncube who saw his side losing 1-5 to Chapungu on Sunday said the defeat was a wake-up call for his charges.
“The game against Chapungu was a big lesson to us because the guys went there underrating our opponents and within the first 20 minutes we were already trailing 4-0. Had we taken the match seriously we were going to put a better show but such is the game of football, if you underrate your opponents, you pay dearly.
“The moral of the result from Gweru is that we have to take every game seriously. We respect St Michel just like any other club and we will not underrate them because this is a competitive game. Like we said before we beat Chuoni FC of Zanzibar, what we want is to make history and possible go to the group stages,” said Ncube.
With odds staked against St Michel, Kuda Musharu with three goals from two matches in Africa is expected to lead How Mine’s attack.
Ncube spoke about the importance of a resounding victory at home.
“We are in virgin territory because as a coach I have never led a club in continental competition and this is also the first time for How Mine FC to participate at this stage. Everyone is aware of the importance of carrying a healthy lead from the first leg and what this simple means is that we have to score more goals and avoid conceding. We have a solid defence and my concentration this week is on perfecting our conversion rate,” he said.
Former national team defender Gilbert Banda who has played in Caf club competitions with Highlanders and FC Platinum is available for selection having missed the matches against Chuoni FC.
Banda received his passport last week.
Brighton Dube is still waiting for his passport to enable him to be available for selection to compete in the Orange Caf Confederation Cup and has been ruled out of the St Michel game.
Club captain Hebert Dick, Banda, Nyasha Mukumbi, George Magario, Morris Kadzola, Terrence Majo and Nelson Tachi are competing for the four starting places in defence.
With Musharu playing as a lone striker, Menard Mupera, Xolisani “Scara” Moyo, Warren Dube, Timothy January and Edmore Muzanhenhamo will be expected to provide clean passes to their strikers.
The advantage with How Mine’s midfielders is that they are capable of scoring even from outside the box.
Nelson Sopha, Danny Annacoura, Lorenzo Mathiot and Jean Barbe are key players in the visitors’ line up.
Sopha was in goal when St Michel visited in 2000 and 2002 and guarded the goalposts in 2009 in the Cosafa Senior Challenge hosted by Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter