By Precious Bwale
Power Dynamos coach Oswald Mutapa says his side paid the price for a slow start after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Al Merreikh in the first leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary round tie in Rwanda.
A first-half penalty proved decisive as Al Merreikh secured a slender advantage ahead of the return fixture at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Saturday, 12 September.
Mutapa admitted Power Dynamos struggled to find their rhythm during the opening stages of the match but felt his players improved as the game progressed.
“It’s bad we have lost, but I feel we didn’t start very well,” Mutapa said.
“I think the first 15-20 minutes we didn’t play our game. The time we played our game, we conceded through a penalty, which I don’t think it was because I feel our player kicked the ball before he touched him.”
Power Dynamos responded with a better display after the break, with Al Merreikh opting to protect their lead and threaten on the counter-attack.
“Much better second half. I guess they were comfortable with 1-0 and trying to play on the counter,” Mutapa said.
“We tried to play, didn’t create as much as we would have loved, but at the end of the day, first half we are down 1-0, we have to play the second half at home.”
The defeat leaves Power Dynamos with a deficit to overturn in the second leg as they look to keep their Champions League campaign alive.
Aba Yellow will need to win by at least two goals to progress without the need for a penalty shoot-out, making next weekend’s encounter in Ndola a crucial test for Mutapa’s side.
With home advantage on their side, Power Dynamos will hope for a stronger start and a more clinical performance as they bid to overturn the narrow first-leg defeat and advance to the next round.
