By Angela Bambala Bwalya
Green Eagles coach Perry Mutapa has challenged his side to maintain their winning momentum when they travel to Ndola to face ZESCO United at Trade Fair Grounds in the MTN Super League transitional season.
The Kawale Boys head into the encounter on the back of an emphatic 4-1 victory over Mighty Mufulira Wanderers and will be hoping to build on that performance against a ZESCO side still searching for its first win of the campaign.
ZESCO opened their season with a 1-1 draw against Kabwe Warriors and will be eager to make home advantage count as they seek to get their campaign up and running.
Mutapa, however, expects a difficult encounter against a side he believes has the quality and experience to pose a significant challenge.
“We would like to keep the momentum going. We are playing a team which has done well in the last decade. I think it’s a strong team. Last season, they didn’t do well, so this season they want to do well. So it’s going to be a very big game for us,” Mutapa said.
The Green Eagles coach believes ZESCO’s opening-day draw will make them even more determined to secure maximum points in front of their home supporters.
However, he insists his side also has ambitions of its own after making a winning start to the campaign.
“It’s going to be difficult, especially that they drew the first game. They would like to win their first game in front of their own supporters. But for us, we are also on a mission after winning the last game away to Mighty.
“We don’t want to lose, so it’s going to be a tough game, and the team which is going to give the best application in the match, I think, will carry the day,” he said.
Mutapa prioritises points over goals
Despite Green Eagles’ impressive four-goal return against Wanderers, Mutapa has cautioned his players against becoming preoccupied with their scoring record, stressing that the priority is to secure another three points.
The coach acknowledged the quality of their opponents but maintained that his side would approach the contest with confidence and respect.
“We should be worried that we are playing with a big team. So the most important thing in this game is to collect the maximum points, which is the three points. Sometimes we want to score more goals, but we should know that we are playing a big team.
“We respect ZESCO, but of course, we are not afraid, so we want to do well against them,” Mutapa said.
Green Eagles face another away assignment after their victory in Mufulira, but Mutapa is confident that his players are adequately prepared for the challenge.
He dismissed concerns that travelling distances and consecutive fixtures could affect the team’s performance, pointing to the work done in training ahead of the match.
“No, I think for us, this away game against ZESCO after playing Mighty, coming here, we have trained well and I think we have nothing to worry about. The distance covered, we still have a lot. So we just have to give a very good account of ourselves,” he said.
Consistency key to Eagles’ ambitions
Mutapa also stressed that Green Eagles’ early-season progress must be backed by consistent performances if they are to achieve their ambitions during the transitional campaign.
Having enjoyed a positive season last term, the coach believes maintaining those standards will be crucial as the team seeks to establish itself among the league’s contenders.
“Of course, this is a project. Last season we did very well. This season, after starting on a good note, we should just continue. So it’s about consistency,” he said.
ZESCO hold historical advantage
The historical record between the two sides gives ZESCO United an edge heading into the encounter.
In their previous 10 meetings, ZESCO have recorded four victories, while four matches have ended in draws. Green Eagles have claimed two wins.
However, Mutapa’s side will take confidence from their opening-day performance as they look to extend their winning run, while ZESCO will be determined to secure their first victory of the transitional season.
For Green Eagles, the challenge will be to combine the attacking efficiency displayed against Wanderers with the discipline required to overcome an experienced opponent on its home ground.
