adminRicky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
GOLD miners How Mine FC arrived in Zanzibar in the early hours of yesterday for their second leg of the Orange Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round game against Chuoni FC set for today.
Zimbabwe’s representatives took along the same squad that beat Chuoni FC 4-0 in the first leg of the Orange Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round for their East Africa trip.
In the first leg, Chikurupati, as How Mine are known got their goals through a brace from new signing Kuda Musharu with the captain of the day Menard Mupera and Warren Dube also finding the back of the net.
Should they beat their opponents, How Mine who have a healthy lead will meet the winner of islanders St Michel of Seychelles or Madagascar’s ASSM Elgeco Plus.
St Michel goes into the second leg carrying a 2-1 lead over their opponents.
Speaking from Zanzibar, How Mine’s chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo said they arrived safely with their hosts giving them satisfactory reception.
Nkomo said their coach Philani “Beefy” Ncube has been stressing to his charges about the need to guard against complacency.
“We arrived early today around 3AM. The coaches have given the boys time to rest after the long flight and will be training at the match venue at 3PM for two hours. The reception has been fair, the hotel is good and secluded by the Indian Ocean Clean.
“We have a clean bill of health and the coach is going all out to attack to win the game. He has been emphasising the need to avoid complacency and we promise to finish off the tie on a high note,” he said.
Though going for a kill, Ncube might decide to give Herbert Dick a start in Zanzibar partnering either George Magariro or Nyasha Mukumbi in central defence. Dick’s experience is key to the miners’ campaign and might have been kept on the bench in first leg as a tactical move.
Mupera and Xolisani “Scara” Moyo can be used as twin anchormen, with Dube, Timothy January and Edmore Muzanhenhamo completing the midfield while Musharu will be a lone striker.
On their way to Zanzibar, How Mine captain Mupera was confident of clinching a victory in East Africa.
“Morale is high in camp and there are a number of guys who have never travelled in an aeroplane or played in continental football who are excited with this trip and would love to do it again. So, for them to travel by air a lot it means that we have to defend this lead and qualify to the next stage in style by winning away. Victory away is possible, with the right attitude and hard work, we are going to beat Chuoni FC,” said Mupera.
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