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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE champions Chicken Inn are hoping for a positive result against high-flying South African Premiership log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the first leg of the Caf Champions League preliminary round at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday.

The Gamecocks need to up their game against Sundowns, who are in terrific form and have been scoring almost at will in the South African PSL.

The Brazilians, as Sundowns are affectionately known, lead the league table by six points going into tonight’s tough encounter away to Orlando Pirates where they will be seeking to extend their unbeaten run to 15 games.

Chicken Inn will be comfortable with the underdogs’ tag against Sundowns, who are expected to jet into Bulawayo on Friday afternoon.

The Gamecocks trained for the first time with a full squad on Monday, with coach Joey Antipas saying they need to capitalise on home advantage and get their tactics right.

“It’s good that everyone is at training and the guys that had knocks are running around with the rest. We’ll monitor the progress of the guys that are returning from injury before we make a decision on whether to play them or not,” said Antipas.

“Another positive thing is that the players that were with the national team at Chan are all fit and we hope that no player picks an injury as the week progresses because we need everyone as we plan for a positive result. We’re playing a star-studded Sundowns outfit, that’s enjoying a good run and we’ve to get our tactics right on Saturday,” he said.

Chicken Inn missed seven key players, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze, defenders Lawrence Mhlanga and Teenage Hadebe, midfielders Danny Phiri and Clemence Matawu and the striking duo of Edmore Chirambadare and Moses Demera for their pre-season training camp in Zambia recently.

Skipper Phiri and Matawu were nursing a tendon injury and calf strain respectively, while Hadebe was yet to conclude his move to the club from Bantu Rovers. There were also reports that Hadebe was struggling with a nagging knee injury.

Chipezeze, Mhlanga, Chirambadare and Demera were part of the Warriors’ squad that disappointed at the Chan in Rwanda.

Chicken Inn’s fitness levels were exposed in their three-match tour of Zambia as they struggled against Tanzanian champions Azam, Zambian champions Zesco as well as Zanaco. The Zimbabwean champions drew 2-2 with Zanaco, lost 1-3 to Azam and crashed 0-2 to Zesco.

Antipas said they will be working on their defensive frailties in the run-up to their Sundowns’ encounter and the presence of the seven players who missed the Zambia trip should bring stability to the squad.

Sundowns will bank on their international stars that include goalkeepers Dennis Onyango and Kennedy Mweene of Uganda and Zambia respectively, while defenders Tebogo Langerman, Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Thabo Ntethe should provide cover for their goalkeeper.

Botswana international Mogakolodi Ngele, Keegan Dolly and posterboy Teko Modise are expected to dominate in midfield.

Sundowns have four deadly attackers in the form of Liberia’s Anthony Laffor, Leornardo Castro of Colombia and Zimbabwe’s duo of Khama Billiat and Cuthbert Malajila.

The Sundowns stars will be the draw-card to soccer thirsty Bulawayo fans, although they will be rooting for Chicken Inn.