Nyasa Bullets in action in the CECAFA Kagame Cup
* The winner to face DRC’s TP Mazembe in the second preliminary round in October
* The Bullets will play Express FC of Uganda in CECAFA Kagame Cup final today, Saturday in Tanzania
By Duncan Mlanjira
Nyasa Big Bullets have been drawn against South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) club, Amazulu, in the preliminary round of the 2021/2022 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League.
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The qualifier for the group stages’ first leg will be away for The People’s Team in South Africa on the weekend of September 10-12 with the home leg on September 17-19.
The winner of the tie will face TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the second preliminary round in October.
The draws for both CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup preliminary round were conducted in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.
Amazulu are coached by former Bafana international Benni McCarthy
Nyasa Big Bullets are in Tanzania where they are expected to play today, Saturday against Express FC of Uganda in the final of the CECAFA Kagame Cup in what is expected to be an exciting match.
The participation at the CECAFA Kagame Cup as guests has proved very successful as preparations ahead of the CAF Champions League match.
In the Group stages, The People’s Team drew two matches and won one to reach the semi final where they beat hosts Azam FC 4-2 after penalty shootout following a 2-2 semi-final draw that went into extra time last Wednesday at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.
Bright Munthali put the Bullets in the two minutes into the semi final match but Nickson Nyasulu netted an own goal in the second-half to come level.
Azam then but Munthali was on spot again in the 73rd minute and after 90 minutes the match went into extra time.
During penalties, Yamikani Fodya, Kajoke, Chimango Kayira and Nyasulu converted Bullets’ spotkicks while Gabeya had his penalty saved by the goalkeeper.
The hosts scored their only spotkicks through Mwaikenda and Tepsie Evance as Gadafi Said and Abdulrazak Hamza missed.
Express FC beat Zanzibari side KMKM 2-1 to reach the final where they are seeking their first ever victory.
According to Uganda’s online, independent.co.ug, Express FC scored first from a free kick and added time penalty to secure the victory also played at the Azam Complex.
Meanwhile, Silver Strikers withdrew from CAF Confederation Cup because currently their head coach McDonald Mtetemera is on suspension and his availability for the CAF matches cannot be guaranteed until his case is fully investigated and concluded.
Silver say they have taken cognizance that to participate in the 2021/2022 CAF Inter-clubs competitions, a team’s head coach must have a CAF A Licence as a basic mandatory requirement and his assistant to have CAF B licence.
Teams that do not fulfill these requirements would not be allowed to be on the technical bench during the assigned CAF matches.
As his case is under investigation and awaits conclusion, “the club’s board of directors has advised that the team withdraws from the tournament forthwith”.
Mtetemera’s assistant coach registered for the CAF competition was Zambian Daniel Kabwe, who was recently fired after failing to deliver on his agreed and promised pledge to win 24 games in the TNM Super League.
Fired Zambian coach Daniel Kabwe
Kabwe, who holds a CAF B Licence and a UEFA B Licence, was fired because Silver only managed to win 14 league games.
The Bankers are second on the TNM Super League with 46 points from 23 games of 14 wins; 4 draws and 5 wins and can’t go on to win the other 10 games since they are remaining with 8 games.
Thus in the statement from chief executive officer, Thokozani Chimbali, says following unforeseable event sorrounding the technical panel, they “have made this decision having taken account different options and their consequential events and the decision now outweighs the consequences”.
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