By CHINOYI CHIPULU
Napsa stars Coach Mohamed Fathi says lack of experience has contributed to his team’s disastrous campaign in the CAF Confederation group stages following Sunday’s humiliating defeat to Coton Sport.
Napsa’s hopes of making it to the quarter finals of the competition were ended on Sunday after they were clobbered 5-1 by Cameroonian side Coton Sport in West Africa.
Last week the Pensioners were also edged 1-0 at home by Coton Sport.
The loss saw Napsa stretch their winless run in the group to four matches and remain at the bottom with a point.
Fathi said in an interview that in continental football experience usually plays a big role and he is happy the team managed to reach the group stages in their debut season.
“Experience plays a big role in these games but we came to represent our country for the first time and we managed to go to group stage so it’s a good experience for us. We have learnt one or two things and when we come back next year we will have more ideas on what to do,” he said.
Napsa skipper Dickson Chapa, defenders Luka Banda, Luka Ng’uni, Aaron Kabwe, midfielder Austin Banda and young striker Jimmy Mukeya are some of the notable players that were testing continental football for the first time.
And Fathi said hot weather conditions also played a part in his team’s poor showing in Garoua.
“I think the weather also contributed, it made my players down but also the left-back is injured and some players didn’t come to the occasion,” he said
He said despite occupying the bottom spot his charges will continue pushing and working hard in the remaining matches.
“We will continue fighting and present ourselves. We want to win at least one of the two games. As a club we have come to fight, not just to represent. We learn and move forward. I am not going to talk more about this game, I will shift my focus on the next game and the local league,” he said.
Meanwhile, Napsa yesterday landed in Ndola on Monday afternoon and immediately got down to business ahead of the rescheduled encounter with Forest Rangers slated for Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Thursday.
