ZESCO United are today poised to shrug off the challenge from Guinean side Horoya and advance to the second round of the CAF Champions League.
Leading 4-1 from the first round first leg, Zesco look set to finish off the Guineans, who have promised the visitors a difficult match.
Permutations are many but the simplest is that a draw will be enough for Zesco to progress to the second round while Horoya need to score three unanswered goals to remain in the competition.
Zesco will tackle Horoya at September 28 Stadium in Conakry without head coach George Lwandamina.
Lwandamina remained in Ndola to prepare the national team for next Wednesday’s 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville.
In Lwandamina’s absence, stand-in coach Tenant Chembo will be calling the shots.
Chembo has promised to guard against complacency.
“We played the first half and we are going to play the second half.
Horoya are a good side. They will throw everything at us. We just have to absorb the pressure like we always do because we are a seasoned team.
“We have the first half in the bag and it is the second half we have to battle for. We are ready for the battle. The players have prepared well and there will be no problem,” Chembo said.
Idris Mbombo and Kenyan international Jesse Were will hunt for goals.
Both players were on the scoresheet in Ndola and will aim at finishing off the West Africans.
Mbombo has scored twice in the competition.
Should the two strikers fail to shine, Jackson Mwanza and Lazarous Kambole will be introduced.
Misheck Chaila and Anthony Agay will orchestrate
play in midfield while Cletus Chama and John Ching’andu will be supplying crosses from the left and right flanks, respectively.
Chama has netted twice in the competition.
Skipper Jacob Banda is a sure starter in goal and will be shielded by Simon Silwimba, Ben Banh, Dauti Musekwa and David Odhiambo.
Horoya coach Victor Zvunka knows that anything less than finding the net three times will mean elimination and he will unleash his best arsenal to stage one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the CAF Champions League.
“We cannot say much because we still got the second leg this weekend and we are able to win and qualify with a 3-0 win,” said Zvunka after the match in Ndola.
Zvunka is likely to maintain the same team that lined up at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Khadim N’diaye will be between the sticks while Pape Toure will marshal the defence.
Oeansey Mandela, the scorer of the goal in Ndola, holds the key for Horoya’s success.
The match will kick-off at 17:00 hours.