Swaziland referee Simanga Pritchard Nhleko will handle the Caf Confederation Cup preliminary round second leg football match between Motor Action and Black Leopards set for Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
Nhleko will be assisted by fellow countrymen Petros Mbingo and Isaiah Mkhabela while Dintle Mphele from Botswana will be the match commissioner.
The 28-year-old is highly regarded in his country and has been on the international scene since 2002. This will not be the first time that Nhleko will be handling matches that involve Zimbabweans and South Africans as he officiated in a friendly match between the two countries in 2010.
Zimbabwe lost the match 3-0. However, Motor Action will surely not be discouraged by that piece of information.
Mighty Bulls coach Joey Antipas has already promised an all-attack formation against the struggling South African side. The match is delicately balanced at 1-1 from the first leg that was played at Peter Mokaba Stadium two weeks ago, making Sunday’s match a do-or-die affair.
Defender Godfrey Moyo scored a last-gasp goal from the spot kick to secure his side a crucial away goal that can be very handy.
An outright win or a goalless draw will give the Mighty Bulls passage to the first round of the competition where FC Lupopo of DRC are the likely opponents.
However, a high-scoring draw will open the way for the visitors into the next stage while a 1-1 draw will send the match straight into a penalty shootout.
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Antipas has said preparations for the match are going according to plan and expects his team to put an improved performance from the one they dished out in South Africa.
The soft-spoken gaffer is, however, sweating over the fitness of right-back Passmore Bernard, who picked up a knock in the team’s friendly match against Dynamos last Sunday.
Black Leopards, who anchor their local Absa Premiership log standing, are expected to touch down at Harare International Airport tomorrow at 12:45pm. Meanwhile, Hwange’s Caf Confederations Cup return match against Tanzania’s Jamhuri at the Colliery on Sunday will be handled by Tswanas.
Leso Kutlwano will be the man at the centre and will be assisted by Meshack Medupe and Monakawane Moemedi. South African George Boodhoo will be the match commissioner.
Hwange won the first leg 3-0.
FC Platinum’s Champions League match against Green Mambas of Swaziland at Mandava Stadium on Saturday will be handled by the Angolan trio of Do Rosario, Jerson Santos and Valdmiro Ntyamba. Rwandan Gaspard Kayijuka will be the match commissioner. The Rahman Gumbo-coached side might be without their trusted striker Donald Ngoma through injury. They have a 4-2 lead from the first leg.
