By Williams Gondwa:
Nyasa Big Bullets left for Zimbabwe Wednesday beaming with confidence ahead of their Confederation of African Football (Caf) Champions League second leg match with Platinum FC on Saturday.
The first leg ended goalless at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, leaving the tie wide open for both sides at Barboufields Stadium in Bulawayo.
Before departure yesterday, Bullets assistant Coach, Peter Mponda, said they were determined to reach the next round.
Mponda said they had included Captain John Lanjesi, who has recovered from an injury, in the 22-member squad that has travelled to Zimbabwe by road.
Mponda said Lanjesi would not be available for selection.
“All preparations have gone well and we have taken all players that are fit and ready to play. Every member is aware of the importance of the match. We are geared up to face FC Platinum,” Mponda said.
Bullets Chief Administrator, Albert Chigoga, said the team was expected to have a training session in Harare before proceeding to Bulawayo today.
“The arrangements are that the team would spend a night in Harare and, on Thursday, depart for Bulawayo. We have put everything in place and, the second group will travel to Bulawayo on Friday. These are Bullets supporters and officials. We want to ensure that the team is given all the required support,” Chigoga said.
Platinum, who are mentored by Bullets Coach Kallisto Pasuwa’s childhood friend Norman Mapeza, have relocated from Harare to Bulawayo ahead of the match.
“It is not going to be easy, but the important thing for us is to find our way back and regroup after the Triangle defeat,” Pasuwa told Herald newspaper on Monday.
“We must get a result on Sunday [Saturday] against Nyasa Bullets so that we keep up in the Champions League, but we know it is always going to be a challenging task because our opponents are an equally good side, so we must be at our best.”
