By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA in Juba and NDINAWE SIMPELWE in Ndola –
ZAMBIA’S CAF Confederations Cup envoys Zanaco will face Harare City in the first round of the competition after the neighbours overcame AS Adame of Madagascar in the preliminary round.
And Zesco United striker Idriss Mbombo says the team is ready to face any opponent in the next round of the CAF Champions’ League.
Zanaco, who were on bye in the preliminary round, will make the short trip to Harare in the first leg for their encounter against Harare City on March 12 before the return leg a week later.
Harare beat Adame 6-3 on aggregate after the Zimbabweans came from a goal down to win 3-1 in the second leg in Madagascar.
The fixture will come as good news for Zanaco who will consider Zimbabwe as good as home ground due to the similar weather conditions to Zambia.
Zanaco will hope to ferry as many fans as possible to Zimbabwe where coach Numba Mumamba will be competing in the CAF competition as head coach for the first.
Zanaco last played in the CAF Confederations Cup in 2010.
Meanwhile, Mbombo says they are ready for any West African opponent in next weekend’s first round of the 2016 CAF Champions League.
Zesco will face either Horoya of Guinea or Senegalese  club AS Douanes, both West Africans and drew 0-0 from the first leg in Senegal.
Zesco will be home in the first leg on March 13.
Mbombo said in an interview in Juba that a convincing home win in the first round will be a key result to take into the final leg to be played five days later.
“I have never played against a West African team, but I hear they are very good. The only thing I can say is we should get a convincing win at home. That is very important.
“If we can win by 3-0 or 4-0 at home, then we will be fine and the coach will plan the game and what we should do in the away leg,” the DR Congo-born striker said.
Mbombo, who is currently Zesco’s top scorer with two goals from three competitive matches, remained modest about his personal targets.
“The team wants to reach the group stage, so it is about team work and that is where my targets fit in,” Mbombo said.
Zesco advanced to the first round after a 1-0 away win over Al Ghazala of South Sudan in Juba on Friday to qualify 3-0 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Mbombo said he has settled down at Zesco where he is on a one-year loan spell from Kabwe Warriors.
“I can say that Zesco is like TP Mazembe, everyone wants to play for them. It is the same in Zambia.
“But in terms of goals, I will leave that up to God. He will decide to give me more or less goals but I know God will bless me at Zesco,” he said.