The rules are clear that one cannot be granted access to the competition s area that includes the dressing room without a clearance certificate that shows one is Covid-19 negative. Having a mask is also part of the Caf regulations. Given that Nkana took the tests late meant the kick-off had to be rescheduled altogether. All in all, we had constant communication with Caf concerning the issues that emerged.
Nkana ended up winning the match even though they had to train for over 40 minutes in the parking lot prior to the match.
Nevertheless, the Red Devils midfielder Misheck Chaila was elated about the victory even though they encountered a number of challenges before the game started.
Pyramids were unable to make use of their dominance in the first half where they enjoyed 61% ball possession and recorded a total of five shots which two were on target while one went off target and another was blocked.
Namungo had a total of three shots and one was on target and the other went off while one was blocked by Pyramids backline. The Cairo club got four corners while Namungo got two and the Group D rivals were each flagged for offside once.
Pyramids were the first side to make a change when the second half began as Ahmed Tawfik was replaced by Mohamed Farouk. In the 64th minute, two changes were made by the visitors as Mahmoud Hamad and John Antwi were withdrawn and Eric Traore and Omar Gaber took their respective places.
Despite the win which set them up to reach the group stage for the first time in the club’s history, coach Morocco has cautioned his players not to celebrate yet and asked them to get ready for the return leg which will be played at the same venue.
“I think we should not celebrate yet because we have one more match to play against them,” Morocco said as quoted by
Daily News. “They are a good team not to be written off as such, we need to get back to correct our shortfalls prior to the return match.
“Even though we have won today [Sunday], there are many mistakes we made hence this is the time to correct them.
“Caf has ruled the two-legged fixture between Namungo and Primeiro de Agosto to be played in Tanzania,” read the statement from TFF.
“The decision has been reached after the Caf committee discovered neither Namungo nor Primeiro de Agosto were responsible in stopping the kick-off of the first leg which was postponed and was set for February 14.”
The statement continued: “All the two matches must be played in the next 72 hours, and must also be played before February 26 and according to the new roster, Primeiro de Agosto will be the home team for the first leg and they will cater for all the preparations for the match, including paying the match officials.”