By ADRIAN MWANZA –
ZANACO captain Ziyo Tembo has urged his team-mates to break the Barclays Cup jinx and claim their the trophy tomorrow by beating Napsa Stars in the final set for the Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka.
But Napsa coach Linos Makwaza urged his players not to be intimated playing Zanaco and ensure the title would goes back to the ‘Pensioners’ cabinet.
Napsa have won the title once in 2012 while Zanaco have failed to land the title in the past 10 years though they bankers reached the final in 2010 but lost 2-0 to record cup holders Zesco United.
To reach the final, Napsa beat Zesco 4-2 on post-match penalties after a 0-0 draw in regulation time while Zanaco beat Lusaka Dynamos 1-0.
Ziyo said during a pre-match briefing at Football House yesterday the onus was on the team to ensure that they lift the trophy and warned his side to be wary of Napsa as they would not be pushovers.
“It will not be an easy game for us but we are going to put in our level best if we are to break this 11 year jinx,” he said.
Zanaco assistant coach Dabid Chilufya said this was his side time to win the Barclays Cup, the only trophy missing from their cabinet.
“Our main aim is to ensure that we lift the Barclays Cup for the first time having failed to do so in the past competitions. Everyone knows what is at stake. It is an important game for us but we are not under pressure and we are going to take it as an ordinary game but hoping for a win,” he said.
Meanwhile, Makwaza said Napsa was ready for the showdown against Zanaco who he described as a good team.
“We have to prepare the players both mentally and physically if we are to ensure that we go past our opponents who will be looking to win this title for the first time,” he said.
He said Napsa would be hoping to impress the supporters and even the sponsors, who had made it possible for them to reach this far.
“Our fans have been the 12th man on the pitch and it is for them that we are going to win this title for them,” he said.
The winners will pocket K350, 000 while the runners up will walk away with K180, 000 with the coach and player of the tournament getting K15, 000 while for each game the Man of the Match has been walking away with a K5, 000 prize.
Tickets for Saturday’s final are selling at K10 for the East wing while West Wing tickets will fetch K25 with VIP going for K150 and will be on sale at the stadium on Saturday morning.