The hour has come for Nkana

Nkana have 90 minutes to pull off a great escape act on Saturday against giant killers Mbabane Swallows when they meet in a 2014 CAF Champions League return leg match in Kitwe.

The Kitwe giants face Swallows bruised and embarrassed after going down 2-0 away in Swaziland on Sunday in a match they were expected to win on paper but faded in real time.

Nkana need three goals without reply in Wusakile to avoid suffering an unheard of preliminary round ejection by the 12-time champions in their history of playing continental football.

“We will beat them at all costs but I cannot say if or how many goals I will score, all I can say is it will be a victory,” Nkana’s talismanic striker Ronald “Sate Sate” Kampamba told media earlier in the week following the defeat.

The spotlight will fall on striker Francis Kombe who misfired last Sunday despite enjoying Kampamba’s supply of the ball who has been given the freedom to roam by Coach Masauso Mwale.

However, both Kombe and Kampamba are strikers and the responsibility for goals will squarely fall on the duo in this do-or-die decider.

Also under the microscope will be defenders Billy Mwanza and Christopher Munthali whose blunders gifted Swallows the winning goals.

There is also concern in midfield where Kelvin Mubanga is a doubt due injury on top of his hot and cold display in Swaziland for which he was heavily criticized for.

Furthermore, they have been calls for Shadreck Musonda to start to supplement Kombe and Kampamba.

Many feel Musonda has the class to earn the right to a starting 11 place at Nkana after consistent performances throughout last season at demoted Kalulushi Modern Stars.

Meanwhile, the game is expected to make Champions League headlines news win or lose for Nkana alongside that of prospective first round opponents El Merriekh of Sudan who lost 2-0 at home in Khartoum to KCCA of Uganda heading into their very own Saturday crunch match.