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Eddie Chikamhi in MASERU, Lesotho
Caps United striker, Simba Nhivi, says a positive start is all the Green Machine need when they face hosts Lioli FC in the Caf Champions League preliminary round match at Sesotho Stadium this afternoon.  

Kickoff is 4:00PM.

Makepekepe arrived here late yesterday afternoon after flying via Johannesburg where they spent the better part of the day waiting for a connecting flight.

And, as they plunge into battle without the experience of Leonard Tsipa, who was omitted from the squad, Nhivi is expected to lead the Green Machine attack together with Dominic Chungwa.

The former Young Warriors striker will be hoping to take off from where he left off last season.

Nhivi’s late surge of form helped Makepekepe wrap up the championship after scoring the crucial goals in the tense 1-0 wins over Ngezi Platinum Stars and Chapungu in the last two games.

The former Pamushana School player told our sister paper The Herald that the Champions League is a new challenge for the side.

“We have prepared and everyone is ready. The morale is very high in camp. We know it’s not going to be an easy match considering we are dating the champions of Lesotho who will also be playing in front of their own supporters.

“For Lioli, being champions means just that, they are champions so we have to be prepared mentally, physically and in every aspect of the game. I think the coaches have done their best to get us prepared and we are looking forward to the match,” said Nhivi.

Caps United and Lioli will meet again next week in the return leg at the National Sports Stadium with the winners proceeding to meet former champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But one frustrating thing for Makepekepe could be the fact that they do not know much about their opponents.

Lioli, who have won the last two league titles in Lesotho in 2015 and 2016, are currently enjoying good form and are in second place in the championship race.

They are just one point behind log leaders Bantu after 16 games.

The hosts come into the match with spirits high following last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Likhopo in the LNIG TOP 8 Cup.

Caps will have to keep an eye on Tumelo Khutlang who scored a brace in that match.

However, the Basotho champions have been monitoring Bokang Sello who was injured in the LNIG TOP 8 Cup against Likhopo.

“It doesn’t really matter for me to know the opponents inside and out, it’s the job of the coaches. Usually we just prepare ourselves the way we play as a team.

“We just hope to collect maximum points so that we can progress to the next stage.

“We have to impose our game the way we have been training and play according to how the coaches want us to.

“These guys are not minnows as many people would want to believe. At one point they beat Bidvest Wits of South Africa which means they are a good side.

So we are going to play champions and we have to be prepared.

“Football doesn’t need that thing called complacency. We just have to be focused and be at our best on the day. I hope everyone will rise on the day and we score goals. We have to have more desire on the day so that we win the match,” said Nhivi.

Makepekepe coach, Lloyd Chitembwe, has his full squad at his disposal. Lioli also have been boosted by the mending of relations with the Lesotho Football Association who had blacklisted the trio of national team players Tsepo Lekhooana, Tsepo Seturumane and Kopano Tseka in a row that was torched by the trio’s decision to dump the national team.

The row had also affected their preparations after the association denied them facilities to prepare for the match. LEFA fully sponsors the Lesotho teams in the continental tournaments.

“Tse Nala” had hoped to begin camp last Sunday but their plans were thrown into disarray because LEFA had offered to house everyone but Lekhooana, Seturumane and Tseka.

As a result of the stand-off, Lioli’s 27-man squad only convened for camp on Tuesday at an unnamed location.

Even though they started camp later than expected, Lioli vice-president Mthoalo Mthoalo said the disruption will not affect the players’ focus ahead of the crucial continental date.

“We have already started preparing for this game (against Caps United) and, believe me, we are going into this game prepared. We have talked to our players and we have prepared them mentally.”

Lioli participated in the tournament last year and were eliminated by AS Vital of the DRC in the preliminary round.

In 2014 they also fell to Primeiro de Agosto in the initial stages.

They were seeking to become the first Lesotho side in 16 years to progress from the preliminary round of the Champions League.

Caps Utd Squad: Edmore Sibanda, Jorum Muchambo, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Valentine Musarurwa, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Justice Jangano, Dennis Dauda, Abbas Amidu, Phineas Bamusi, Devon Chafa, Amon Kambanje, Cabby Kamhapa, Moses Muchenje, Joel Ngodzo, Ronald Chitiyo, Simba Nhivi, Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, Tafadzwa Rusike, Dominic Chungwa