The Pensioners’ tactician says they will use the away advantage to get the better of K’Ogalo in the continental competition
Napsa Stars coach Mohamed Fathi has claimed they already have an advantage over Gor Mauia since they will play their first match in their Caf Confederation Cup tie away from home.
The Zambian Pensioners were drawn to face the Kenyan champions in the playoff round of the competition during the draw conducted on Friday in Cairo, with the first leg planned for February 14 in Nairobi.
Speaking in Zambia ahead of the two-legged fixture, Fathi said they will use the advantage of playing the first leg away to get a good result that can see them seal the game at home.
“When you start away it is an advantage of course on our side but also it gives you too much pressure when playing away from home in the first game so we have to go there and do our job and maybe finish it back home,” Fathi told online Napsa Stars TV.
“I think it is a fair draw and I think it will be very interesting to play Gor Mahia because they have a big history in the competition but also we are trying to write our own history in this competition and it will be interesting to come up against them.”
On whether he has any information about Gor Mahia, Fathi explained: “What I know is that they are a permanent team in continental football and we have started our homework already to know them better and from next week we will know more about them.
“We also have some of their players here [Kenyan players], so it is a big advantage for us because they have played in continental before with their previous clubs and they will help us do deal with Gor Mahia because our main target is to make sure we go as far as we can.”
K’Ogalo will come up against three of their former players in Timothy Otieno, Shaban Odhoji and David Odhiambo. The latter player joined Napsa Stars in February 2020 before Otieno joined him in September after emerging as the Premier League top scorer, while Odhiambo signed for the side on Saturday after leaving Zesco United.
Gor Mahia found themselves in the Confederation Cup after they were eliminated by CR Belouizdad in the first round of the Caf Champions League. The Premier League champions were defeated 6-0 in Algeria before they went down 2-1 at home in the return leg.
Before facing the Algerian champions, Gor Mahia had to navigate past APR of Rwanda in the preliminary round.
On the other hand, Napsa Stars reached the second preliminary phase after a 1-1 draw against UD Songo of Mozambique.
The Pensioners advanced courtesy of the away goal rule after Emanuel Mayuka equalised for them in the 74th minute in Beira, having gone behind in the first half of the second leg.
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