SuperSport United coach Eric Tinkler insists Zesco United should not be underestimated in Friday’s 2017 CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinal match in Pretoria.
SuperSport hosts Zesco at Lucas Moripe Stadium in their quarterfinal, first leg match.
It will be the two sides’ debut competitive meeting but Zesco’s second trip in continental football to South Africa in exactly a year after Mamelodi Sundowns beat them 2-0 at the same venue to eject them from the 2016 CAF Champions League semifinals 3-2 on aggregate.
Zesco and SuperSport head into the quarterfinals in contrasting form.
SuperSport are unbeaten in their last four matches with one draw.
Zesco on the other hand have blown hot and cold domestically and suffered a moral-sapping 3-2 away loss at leaders and defending champions Zanaco on Sunday before heading to South Africa.
“We have been studying them (Zesco), I have managed to watch quite a few videos of them and have had some sleepless nights,” Tinkler said at Thursday’s pre-match media briefing.
“I think they are a very good team extremely well structured, watching them in the group stages they had some difficult away games but come away with some good results.”
But Zesco lost two and drew one away game in the group phase and are without a win on their continental travels in 2017.
Zesco coach Zlatko Krmpotic has demanded that his team raises the bar after stuttering through the group stage to qualify.
“We must play much better than in the group stages. They are no bad opponents here. We now have high level opponents at this phase,” Krmpotic said.
The match will also mark Zesco starting life with live-wire striker Idris Mbombo who left the club in July for Saudi Arabia.
Jesse Were and John Chingandu have been left to lead the charge as Zesco battle to reach the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Zesco will host SuperSport on September 23 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The overall winner over both legs will qualify to the semifinals to be played during the weekends of September 30 and October 21.
Club Africain of Tunisia and Algerian side MC Alger are their potential last four opponents.
GO ZEGA ZEGA GO
we can beat Supersport in their back yard but it wont be an easy game. They have a solid team that functions like an engine and we play similar soccer… the sharp minded team will win. we have a 50/50 chance…