Await an uphill battle in Swaziland
That was purely the situation at Nkoloma and I don’t think Numba can explain what happened. Of course as a coach he will always find words to say after the encounter.
He seriously was not expecting such a result.
You would tell they had won that game before it was played.
Zanaco has the material to win the Champions League but I think they are getting blinded with the big squad they have and finally tend to think these games are won before even they are played.
If you watched the first half of the Mbabane Swallows game and left before the second half, you will be shocked with the end result.
In the first half Zanaco literally camped in the half of Swallows and I for one expected a lot of goals than that lone goal Chavda scored. It is the deficiency of Zanaco players’ to score than the accuracy in play for swallows in the first half to only allow one goal.
And when you give an away team that confidence then you are bound to regret.
Swallows came back from the break and the tactical view of Zanaco approach changed all of a sudden and you could see things had changed.
The visitors were given an open space in the midfield and that exposed George who was now seen to be playing number 6 and Mpiana left all alone at the center of Defence. There was an open void in the midfield.
Zanaco lost it there as the supply for balls upfront dried up. With every minute that passed, Mbabane Swallows realised the game was not as difficult as they earlier thought and went on to win the encounter as they got out of their she’ll to push Zanaco.
Felix Nyaende missed an opportunity to level matters but by that time, the players had just given themselves so much pressure to get something from the game. it’s always difficult.
I won’t blame Felix…. Such things are inevitable and players have to be strong after such an experience .
WHAT NEXT?
ZANACO will pull through and make it to the group stage as I think Mbabane Swallows wont sit back in Swaziland as they did in the first leg.
Zanaco I feel will play with much freedom than I saw on Wednesday afternoon.
They have the quality and I think experience too to over turn this result. They didn’t play that bad and will rule the missed chances in the first half but am rolling them to progress and eliminate Mbabane Swallows at their backyard.
But then Numba should decide who to start upfront and I would go for Felix and Chavda in the second leg. Martin could then come in the second half.
Ziyo should be back but truth be said, Mpiana was very good at the back.
Zanaco will go through…. ,
