RED Arrows veteran and Africa Cup 2012 winning striker James Chamanga believes his team is poised to make history as they prepare for their CAF Champions League pre-group stage showdown against TP Mazembe on Saturday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

Speaking ahead of the match, Chamanga notes that this is an opportunity for the Zambian club to make a name for themselves by eliminating the Congolese giants, something no Zambian team has done before.

“We want to beat a giant to make a name. They say there has never been a Zambian team that eliminated TP Mazembe. But again, they said there had never been a Zambian team that had won CECAFA. Everything is possible,” Chamanga said.

The veteran striker, drawing inspiration from Zambia’s famous 2012 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, emphasised how being underdogs could work in their favor.

“When we went into the Ivory Coast game in 2012, Zambia was not being spoken about, and that helped the young players. This time, they’re talking about Mazembe and not us. For the local players, it will help them focus and play with concentration.”

Chamanga said that while Mazembe’s history and stature in African football are indisputable, Arrows are not intimidated as they are focused on building belief within the team and recognizing their own achievements.

“We are capable of doing what TP Mazembe has done. They also started from scratch. We’ve given reference to where we are coming from-we have four trophies in our cabinet, one of them international. We should be confident.”
Chamanga highlighted the importance of mental strength, noting that much of his work with the players is focused on building their mindset.

“An experienced team like Mazembe knows how to work on players’ minds. It’s important not to focus on the internet and what’s being said about TP Mazembe’s history, or start undermining ourselves.”

Despite the likely overwhelming support for Mazembe in the stands, Chamanga remains confident that the strength of the Red Arrows’ spirit will shine through.

“Outnumbering their supporters is something we can’t control. But as long as we see a red jersey, even if it’s just two, those two will matter to us. We went to CECAFA withou supporters, but it was enough to motivate us.”

ITS ON THIS SATURDAY IN NDOLA…

The CAF Preliminary Second Round 1st Leg Match

RedArrows vs #TPMazembe FC

Saturday, 14Sep 2024
15h00
Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola

COMPUTICKETS Available In All Shoprite Stores Country Wide:

• VIP – K250.00
• West Wing – K 50.00
• ⁠North/East/South – K10

By Red Arrows Media