NAPSA Stars head coach Perry Mutapa says he is expecting a tough match this afternoon when his side squares off with Zanaco in a Lusaka derby.
Despite expecting a tough match Mutapa wants his side to lose to Zanaco home and away having suffered a 2-1 loss in the first leg.
However, the Bankers are currently winless in their last seven matches, something Mutapa feels will make this encounter even more difficult.
“It’s a derby and derbies are always difficult. We lost in the first round, and we don’t want to lose to Zanaco again, and if I can remember very well, only Power has beaten us both home and away. We are looking forward to at least not losing to Zanaco tomorrow. They are at home but we are in Lusaka and it’s a derby so we would like to get maximum points,” he said.
“They are indeed dangerous because they really want this win, so it’s going to be a difficult match but equally us, we are not safe where we are, so we would like to get the maximum points, so we are putting in everything to collect the maximum points. It’s a derby and anyone who goes in with the right frame of mind can get the win,” he added.
Mutapa has reiterated his earlier sentiments of the Pensioners only working towards stability and not anything else.
He has also confirmed that midfielder Dickson Chapa is out of the match.
“We are five points away from the second placed team which is GBFC, but our main target is to stabilise and maybe next season we will achieve certain goals. We are looking to get the maximum points. The point difference from the bottom placed teams is minimal so we don’t want to think about other things but beating the relegation mark. For now, our focus is stabilising in the league since we are coming from Division One,” he said.
“Kabengele is not okay. He is training but is restricted. We have given him rest. Chapa is equally out. It’s a minus for us not to have Chapa especially after doing well in the Buildcon game, but we shall work with what we have.”
NAPSA Stars Football Club this afternoon visit Zanaco Football Club in a week-28 match of the MTN Super League at Edwin Imboela Stadium.
