Motor Action coach Joey Antipas says he would send his squad to attack Black Leopards when the two teams face off in the Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round, return leg match at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw courtesy of a last minute equaliser by defender Godfrey Moyo from the penalty spot, making the Sunday match a do-or-die affair.
The maths is now pretty simple. The winner on Sunday will get through to the first round, although a goalless draw can also work in the hosts’ favour as the away goals rule will come into play.
A high-scoring draw would open the way for the visitors into the next stage while a 1-1 draw will send the match straight into a penalty shoot-out.
However, Antipas said he did not want the tie to be decided by calculators or by the penalty lottery. He vowed to beat the struggling South African side in open play.
Lidoda Dhuva, who are expected in the country tomorrow afternoon, anchor the Absa Premiership log standings.
“We were a bit cautious in the first leg, but now we are playing at home. We will have to change the approach to the match and maybe change one or two players.
We will have to go out and attack them to get a result. We have a big chance of winning the match playing at home in front of our supporters,” said Antipas.
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The soft-spoken gaffer said preparations for the match were going on well. But the only hitch is the injury to right-back Passmore Bernard, who picked a knock in the preparatory match against Dynamos last Sunday.
“It’s still early days yet, but we are building up for the game and everything in terms of preparations is going on well.”
On Bernard’s injury, Antipas said: “It’s just a knock he picked in South Africa and aggravated last Sunday. We will continue to monitor his progress, but he should be fit for the Sunday match.”
Antipas’ major worry would be his impotent strike force.
The championship-winning coach watched helplessly as the strikers squandered one chance after another in the friendly match against Dynamos.
Antipas said he was working on the department and expected an improved performance come Sunday.
In the other Confederation Cup match on Sunday, Hwange face Jamhuri of Zanzibar at the Colliery carrying a healthy 3-0 lead from the first leg.
Jamhuri jet into the country tomorrow, as they plot the almost insurmountable task of overturning the deficit.
Zifa’s communications manager Nicky Dlamini yesterday said Jamhuri will land at the Harare International Airport tomorrow before flying to the resort town of Victoria Falls and travelling by road to Hwange, 100km away.
“They will arrive in Harare at 12:35pm on March 1, fly to Victoria Falls and then travel to Hwange by road,” Dlamini said.
At Mandava Stadium on Saturday, FC Platinum would also look to finish off Green Mamba of Swaziland in the second leg, preliminary round of the Champions League after taking a 4-2 lead from the first leg in Mbabane.
Mamba will arrive tomorrow and camp in Masvingo, 88km from the match venue. They will get a feel of Mandava on Friday.
