The make or break time of ZANACO is finally here and the Zambian league champions who will be involved in the CAF Champions League have lined up great teams to prepare for the 2017 CAF Champions league. Among the teams lined up are Caps United of Zimbabwe , TP Mazembe of DR Congo and CAF confederation Cup winners , Sundown of South Africa and the current CAF Champions League winners and Red Arrows of Zambia.
ZANACO, who return to CAF Champions League after the absence of three years have sights set on the Group stage but first they have to negotiate in the four games against APR and possibly Young Africans . For many ZSL teams the off-season is still on and and no much activity has started, but that has not been the case for the League Champions who have spent a month in Chipata with intensive training.
The laegue champions will start with Red Arrows on 27th January before taking on Caps United on 29th January . On the 1st of February ZANACO walk on the pitch against CAF Champions League winners in Sundown before winding up their tough and impressive friendlies on 4th February against TP Mazembe.
After this ZANACO is scheduled to play against APR in their opening Champions League preliminary round and should they manage that they would be through to the first round to take on either Ngaya or Young Africans.
ZANACO last played in the Champions league in 2013 against South African giants Orlando Pirates who they lost in both legs and had their season on the local scene thrown in jeopardy finishing fourth in the league below Nchanga Rangers , Zesco and Nkana.
The news of these friendlies to rework their off-season programme will be good news for Numba who will expect his boys to still be in good shape as we saw in the 2016 season even with a number of players having left.
A lack of fitness could cost them , as their next opponents APR are still actively involved in their local league jointly at the top on 33 points with Rayon Sports after 14 games.
The rest of the fixtures for ZANACO preparations as posted by ZANACO Facebook official page are as below:
27 Jan 2017
Red Arrows vs Caps Utd
28 Jan 2017
Zanaco vs Red Arrows
29 Jan 2017
Zanaco vs Caps Utd
1 Feb 2017
Zanaco vs Sundowns
3 Feb 2017
Red Arrows vs Sundowns
4 Feb 2017
Zanaco vs TP Mazembe
THE VENUE FOR THE GAMES IS NKOLOMA STADIUM
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ALL THE BEST ZANACO
