NAPSA Stars football club on Sunday afternoon was handed a humiliating 5-1 loss by Cameroonian outfit Cotton Sports FC away in Cameroon on matchday four.
Speaking to the Zamfoot Crew from Cameroon after the match, NAPSA Stars head coach Mohamed Fathi feels that his side lost due to weather conditions in Cameroon.
Fathi also attributed the loss to the absence of some first-team players in his team but was also quick to mention that lack of CAF experience contributed.
“I think the weather contributed. It made them a bit down also the left-back is injured and some players didn’t come to the occasion including others who are out injured but as Napsa we have to keep ourselves strong and remain focused, ” he said.
“This is our biggest defeat as NAPSA Stars in the past three years but it has happened, this is football, any team can win by a big margin and any team can lose with a big margin,” Fathi said.
“I only consider the first 2 goals after those we changed the tactics from playing with two holding midfielders. Then we finished the first half at 2-0 down,” he explained.
“Then second half we changed by removing one defender and made a 3:5:2 formation. Later on, we pushed to 3:4:3. Then after that that we got caught at the back and allowed other goals.”
“But I am certain experience played a big role in this game. Many of our my players are less experienced,” Fathi added.
He stated that focus will shift to the local league. To enable his team finish in the top four and qualify for CAF inter-club Competitions next season having gained experience.
“It’s a good experience we have learned a lot. We will shift our focus to the local league so that when we come next season we will come with ideas and more ideas on what we gonna do next season”, he concluded.
The loss in Cameroon ensures that NAPSA remains bottom of the group with 1 point after 4 rounds of matches played.
The pensioners’ next assignment will be the local league against in-form Forest Rangers FC on Thursday in Ndola.
