Mbabane Swallows coach Thabo ‘Koki’ Vilakazi says it is possible for his team to beat Zesco in Saturday’s CAF Champions League Group D opener at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Zesco who boast a total of 11 international players, including three from Kenya’s Harambee Stars, will be looking to beat the Swazi side comfortably at home.

“Patriotism aside, Zambians are just playing at a higher level than us. Zesco will be very tough opposition and now we will be without our best player Richard Mcreesh as you know he got an injury, but they are beatable,” Vilakazi told the Swazi Times Newspaper.

Swallows are not new to Zesco after the Zambian club eliminated the Swazi outfit at the preliminary round of the 2015 edition 2-1 on aggregate following a 1-0 final leg home win in Ndola.

The 2016 edition semi-finalist,Zesco, had a low start started in the first round as they were beaten by Cote d’Ivoire giants Asec Mimosas but turned the tables in the return leg by bagging a 2-1 win away in Abidjan.

For Swallows are set to face another Zambia outfit after beating Zanaco in a two-legged affair in the first round.

They beat Zanaco 2-1 in Zambia and 1-0 in the second leg to ensure they were in the group stages.

Zesco currently top the log in the Football Association of Zambia’s (FAZ) Super Division with 22 points, four ahead of Green Buffaloes and Kabwe Warriors, both who are on 18 points.

They come into the game against Swallows on the back of consecutive 1-0 wins over Zanaco FC at the weekend, and Napsa Stars on Tuesday.