Kaindu upbeat despite Zanaco's bleak CAF CL hopes

by Staff Reporter

Monday Oct 18, 2021. 13:00

Zanaco coach Kelvin Kaindu is not throwing in the towel despite the Zambian sides’ 3-0 away loss to Al Merreikh on Saturday.

Zanaco’s 2021/2022 CAF Champions League group stage hopes look bleak following that loss to their Sudan opponents on October 16 in a second round, first leg match played at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo.

Al Merreikh hosted Zanaco in Egypt because Sudanese stadiums have failed to meet CAF specifications.

“It was quite a painful way to lose the game after we looked like we were on track when the first half ended nil-nil,” Kaindu said.

“But we conceded an early goal after the break in the 49th minute and also the type of goals we conceded were too easy.”

Tony Edjomariegwe put Al Merreikh in the 49th minute; Ramadan Ajab added the second goal in the 75th minute while substitute Wadgi Awad completed the job four minutes later.

“I think we didn’t do our very best, we didn’t fight and we didn’t have that aggression on the field,” Kaindu said.

“But this is football, we still believe in ourselves. We saw how they play and they only had three attempts at goal and they managed to get those goals but that is how football is.”

Zanaco host Al Merreikh in the final leg on October 23 at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka in a match they must score four times without reply to advance to next February’s CAF Champions League group stage.

Should Zanaco not succeed, The Bankers will be demoted to the CAF Confederation Cup pre-group phase that kicks off in late November.