Chiukepo, Babatunde doubtful for AmaZulu game
Nyasa Big Bullets are keeping their fingers crossed on the availability of twin strikers Chiukepo Msowoya and Babatunde Adepoju Adebare for tomorrow’s 2021-22 CAF Champions League first preliminary round second leg against AmaZulu FC at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
The veteran strikers suffered knocks in the first leg at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last week.
But Bullets’ Zimbabwean tactician Kallisto Pasuwa was optimistic that the two marksmen, who were eventually substituted due to the injuries, will be available tomorrow.
“So far so good, we are having minor knocks on two to three players who are working with the medical and fitness teams and we expect them to undergo a late fitness test on Friday, hopefully they will be available for selection on Saturday,” he said.
But if this fails, the softspoken coach said he has plan B.
“That’s the reason why we travelled with more players to have a backup in case some of the injured players fail to recover,” he said.
The coach will also welcome his top goalscorer Hassan Kajoke who missed the first leg due to an injury.
Bullets relocated to Lilongwe on Wednesday with a 27-member squad for the return match.
“[It’s] very important for the team to arrive early for Saturday’s match. Remember, we are also dealing with weather which is totally different from [Blantyre] where we are based; hence, we needed the boys to adapt to this weather pattern. You saw how hot it was around 2pm and we arrived here at that time to try to suit to the environment,” Pasuwa said.
AmaZulu FC, on the other, hand jetted into the country yesterday for the swim or sink tie.
The DStv Premiership outfit go into the second leg playing second fiddle to hosts Bullets who edged them 1-0 at their backyard last Friday.
Apart from playing at home, Bullets also had a week to rest before the match while AmaZulu faced SuperSport on Wednesday in a match which ended goalless.
In that match, Bullets had to fall back and defend the entire second half after a red card to left-back Yamikani Fodya.
AmaZulu had over 20 chances but still failed to find the back of the net.
Coach Benni McCarthy said he expects the second leg to open up a little bit.
