By HONE SIAME, MULWANDA LUPIYA and DIANA MUTAKAFIMBO
MUFULIRA Wanderers coach Manfred Chabinga says the glamorous side is not intimidated facing Zesco United in Saturday’s Barclays Cup quarter-final clash.
Chabinga said in Mufulira yesterday that ‘Mighty’ are ready to face any opposition as they seek to win the 41st trophy.
Wanderers are sharing the top position with Forest Rangers with 44 points in Division One (North).
“We are ready to face any team in the Barclays Cup. We have respect for Zesco but we are not scared of them,” Chabinga said.
Zesco coach George Lwandamina said his team will not underrate Wanderers.
Lwandamina said his aim is to repeat what he did at reigning champions Red Arrows.
Lwandamina guided Arrows to a 3-1 win over Nchanga Rangers in last year’s final.
“God willing, I want to repeat what l did at Arrows in last year’s Barclays Cup. The draw against Wanderers is fair,” said Lwandamina, a former Wanderers defender.
Zesco have won the Barclays Cup a record three times.
Nkana Coach Beston Chambeshi said his team is determined to eliminate Power Dynamos from the Barclays Cup.
Chambeshi said the 12-time Super Division champions will prepare adequately for the match to ensure victory.
This will be the first time Nkana and Power will be meeting in the Barclays Cup since its inception in 2007.
“Our match against Power will be a final before the actual final. We have to prepare for everything, including penalties to ensure we progress to the next round,” Chambeshi said.
Power coach Tenant Chilumba described the meeting with Nkana as big and exciting.
Chilumba said the draw is a fair one even if it is a derby.
He said there are no small teams in this year’s competition and that all the teams that have made it have equal chances of advancing to the last four.
“It will be a different game since it will be played in Lusaka on a neutral ground and not Kitwe,” Chilumba said.
Konkola Blades coach Enos Silwimba has welcomed his team’s draw against Zanaco.
“It is a fair draw for us. We are going for the game. We are just thinking about our quarter-final match against Zanaco before thinking about the semi-finals,’’ Silwimba said.
Zanaco coach Aggrey Chiyangi said winning the Barclays Cup will motivate the players to vie for more honours.
“We cannot talk about the finals before we reach the semis. Our target is to reach the semi-finals and plan for the final. We have to plan stage by stage but it will be great for us to win the cup. It will be motivating,” Chiyangi said.
He described the draw as fair and that Zanaco will not underrate Blades.
“Cup games are different from the league. We may have beaten Blades in a league match but that doesn’t mean we will beat them again. This is a different competition,” Chiyangi said.
Napsa Stars coach Hector Chilombo is targeting lifting the trophy.
“We are back in our winning ways. The team has been transformed. We are playing well and everything is working to our advantage. This is the best chance for us to win the Barclays Cup,” Chilombo said.
Napsa, the 2012 Barclays Cup winners, face Division One (South) outfit Lusaka Dynamos.
Dynamos coach Perry Mutapa believes his team is equal to the task.
“We will try our best. We may be in Division One but that doesn’t mean we should be underrated. We have what it takes to beat any team regardless of where they are coming from,” said the former Zambia midfielder.