Bandari open their maiden Confederation Cup account
What you need to know:
- Domestic cup holders Bandari arrived in Congo on Friday afternoon in readiness for Sunday’s CAF Confederations first leg match where they face home team St. Eloi Lupopo.
- This is the first time that the dockers are taking part in CAF competitions, but coach Twahir Muhiddin is brimming with confidence that his team will perform considerably well against the more experienced opponents.
- The former Harambee Stars coach says that contrary to popular opinion, his team is well prepared for the big stage, and that they will cope well against the opposition.
- Muhiddin now has a quality squad that features the likes of Dan Sserunkuma, Edwin Wafula, Felly Mulumba, Bernard Mang’oli and Meshak Karani.
Domestic cup holders Bandari arrived in Congo on Friday afternoon in readiness for Sunday’s CAF Confederations first leg match where they face home team St. Eloi Lupopo.
This is the first time that the dockers are taking part in CAF competitions, but coach Twahir Muhiddin is brimming with confidence that his team will perform considerably well against the more experienced opponents.
The former Harambee Stars coach says that contrary to popular opinion, his team is well prepared for the big stage, and that they will cope well against the opposition.
“This might be the first time that the team is playing at this stage, but it is not the first time for me.
I have taken part in a number of continental games, and I have no doubts in my mind.
STRONG SQUAD
“We have assembled a strong squad, the players are well motivated, and everyone in the team is looking forward to getting past these preliminaries.
We shall deal with the other obstacles inside the pitch, but we have all that we need at this point,” Muhiddin said a day before travelling to Congo.
The dockers have made elaborate moves to ensure that they make an impact in the competition. The team spent Sh150,000 in the December-January transfer window to bolster their squad.
Muhiddin now has a quality squad that features the likes of Dan Sserunkuma, Edwin Wafula, Felly Mulumba, Bernard Mang’oli and Meshak Karani.
The 25-man squad arrived in Lubumbashi at 9.10am on Friday, and are expected to have a feel of the Stade Kibassa Maliba on Friday afternoon.
Although Bandari have never set foot in the continental stage, Lupopo are no strangers, and this will be their fifth appearance in the CAF Confederations Cup.
They have taken part in the CAF Champions League five times, all of which they were eliminated before the group stages.
The Lubumbashi based team won the Super Coupe du Congo last year to gain entry into this year’s Caf competitions which will be their first appearance since 2011.
