After a seamless ride in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary stage, Napsa Stars prepare for a big second round test on Tuesday when they host UD Songo of Mozambique at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
Napsa breezed through the first round with 5-1 away and 4-1 home win’s over Ngazi of Comoros.
But that form is a total contrast to Napsa’s overall league form where they have just one win from seven games with four draws.
“I think in the league we are not performing as expected but as a team, we will try and sort our ourselves out but I can assure you that going forward, we will make sure Napsa will be where they are is supposed to be,” Napsa captain Dickson Chapa said.
“If you look at the games we have played from the Ngazi to the Power Dynamos game, it has been a different approach and we have started playing good football as compared to the first games, so we are pushing and working on that.”
Post-Ngazi, third from bottom Napsa lost 2-1 away to second positioned Zanaco then collected their first league win of the season with a 1-0 home victory over Green Buffaloes before squandering a 2-1 lead away at Power Dynamos last Wednesday to finish 2-2 in Kitwe.
“It is different competition, a different approach and with different referees,” Napsa coach Mohamed Fathi snapped back at Monday’s pre-match briefing.
But there is some good news for Napsa heading into the Songo game with striker’s Tapson Kaseba and Bornwell Mwape back following lengthy injury layoffs.
Also back is midfielder Danny Silavwe who sustained an injury against Buffaloes on December 12.
Meanwhile, Songo return to Zambia two years after they were eliminated from the pre-group stage of the 2018 CAF Champions League by Nkana who beat them 2-1 away in Beira and 1-0 at home in Kitwe.
Songo were subsequently relegated to the CAF Confederation Cup where they qualify to the group stage.
Songo and Napsa will meet in the final leg during the dates of January 5 and the winner will advance to the pre-group stage where they will be drawn against loser from the CAF Champions League pre-group phase.
