MTN Super League champions Power Dynamos coach Osward Mutapa says his side are fully prepared for today’s CAF Champions League first-round first-leg encounter against Sudanese giants Al Merrikh in Kigali, Rwanda.
Power Dynamos have used their time in camp to prepare thoroughly for the continental assignment, completing four training sessions before holding their final session on Friday evening as they fine-tuned their tactical approach. Mutapa believes the extended preparation period has given his technical team an important opportunity to work on the finer details ahead of the opening leg.
“So far, so good. We’ve had four good sessions. We had minus one [training session] this evening, getting ready for the game tomorrow,” Mutapa said in a pre-match interview on Friday.
The coach feels the additional time on the training ground in Kigali has been particularly valuable, noting that it is unusual to have so many sessions when playing away from home in a continental competition.
“The players have been well. It’s rare that you go to a foreign country and have so many sessions. It’s good that we had as many sessions as we could, just trying to find tunes on the tactical side of it,” he added.
Competition for places has also been intense, with all 24 players who travelled to Rwanda pushing for a starting position. However, Mutapa confirmed that four players will have to watch the match from the stands, while several others were left behind in Zambia.
“Everyone is looking good and trying to push to be among those starting, but you know football is about numbers. We came with 24 players, but four have to be in the stands. But they are still part of us; others were left behind.”
Power Dynamos head into the match without any injury concerns, with Mutapa confirming that the players available for selection are fit and ready for the continental test.
“I don’t think we have any injury worries. Everyone is fit and ready to play,” Mutapa said.
The coach is also not concerned about Kigali’s afternoon temperatures, particularly because the match is scheduled for an evening kick-off. Mutapa believes the cooler conditions at night will provide a suitable environment for the players.
“I’m not worried. I feel the weather is good to play at that time. We’ve actually played before at that time, so we shouldn’t be worried. In the afternoon, it’s hot here, so playing at night when the temperatures are low is even much better.”
Mutapa has also called on Power Dynamos supporters back in Zambia to continue supporting the team despite being thousands of kilometres away. The coach says the backing of the club’s supporters remains important as the champions begin their continental campaign.
“It’s far from here, where our fans are. We ask for them to intercede on our behalf and also support us spiritually,” he said.
Power Dynamos, the reigning MTN Super League champions, will face Al Merrikh today in the CAF Champions League first-round first leg at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:00 hours Zambian time, with Power Dynamos looking to secure a positive result before the return leg.
