CONFEDERATION Cup envoys Red Arrows and Zanaco begin their preparation of the pre – group stage play off this month with league matches on Thursday.
The pair are the last teams standing in representing Zambia in continental football after Kabwe Warriors and Zesco United were booted out in the early stages.
Arrows are expected to take on Simba SC of Tanzania later this month while Zanaco will face Malian side Binga FC for a place in the lucrative group stage.
Looking ahead to those games, both coaches will use today’s league games against Forest Rangers and Buildcon respectively to prepare.
Arrows v Forest
Fresh from playing to scoreless draw against Buildcon, Arrows face another Ndola side in Forest Rangers at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Arrows are in the relegation zone with a paltry seven points from the eight games they have played so far.
Arrows have been good in continental football but have been lacking in the league. They need to start picking maximum points on a regular basis if they are to improve their standing on the log.
Forest have an ambition to finish in the top for but have been poor in their last five games.
Forest have not won a game since September and anything less than a win tomorrow will put coach Tenant Chembo in a comprised position.
Zanaco v Buildcon
Buildcon eight points behind leaders Green Buffaloes and could narrow that gap to five points should they beat Zanaco at Sunset Stadium.
Zanaco are struggling at the moment but showed some signs of life in the game against Power Dynamos on Sunday when they played to a 3 – all draw.
Coach Kelvin Kaindu has spent the last two days working on the backline and hopes the team will be a bit tighter at the back against Buildcon.
