G. MAMBA SET EYES BEYOND CAF GROUP STAGES
MBABANE – They are aiming high.
That is 202/23 MTN Premier League champions Green Mamba, who have set their eyes beyond the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League. The Correctional Services side will represent the country in the continental inter-club competition, where they last played in 2012 against Zimbabwe’s FC Platinum. Mabonwa’hlonishwe, as the Ernest Mavuso-coached side is fondly known in football circles, will be making their third appearance in Africa after clinching the same title as the ‘Holy Grail’ of local football in May. The Correctional Services side on both occasions in the CAF champions League envoys were booted out in the preliminary rounds.
Coach Mavuso revealed that they would start preparations for the African jungle this coming Monday, as they would be doing medical tests for the players ahead of resuming training a week later. “We will start our field work in preparations for the continental assignment on June 26, 2023. I think we will add one or two players, but as of now, there is nothing concrete concerning whom we will add,” the former Mbabane Highlanders gaffer explained. He disclosed that their main target as a team was beyond the group stages, but highlighted that this would be their first time competing in such a tournament after a while. The 2022/23 MTN Premier League champions Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mandla Sibiya, said as a team they were looking at reaching the group stages and they would then see what happens thereafter. “Reaching the group stages will be an achievement for us,” he briefly said.
Preparation
He revealed that they had projected to start preparation in mid-June and when quizzed on possibilities of signing new players for the African assignment, Sibiya said they were still waiting for the coach’s report and recommendations. He further said they would be meeting the former Moneni Pirates mentor next week to discuss all the logistics for the CAF Champions League.
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