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Osman wary of AS Vita’s ‘fast game’

Be Forward Wanderers coach Yasin Osman has said speed is one of their CAF Champions League opponents AS Vita’s strength.

The Nomads face the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) outfit tomorrow in Kinshasa in their preliminary round first-leg tie.

Osman Yasin

He said this after watching a couple of AS Vita’s video clips from their recent games.

“What came out clearly is that they play fast football and are good in wing attacks.

“They are a good side and very disciplined, but they have their shortfalls as well, which we can capitalise on.

“So, we should respect them yes, but we shouldn’t fear them,” said the Nomads mentor before departure for DRC on Thursday.

He said what was left of his charges was to have self-belief.

“By that, I mean having determination to fight and play according to game plan for the entire 90 minutes without any lapse in concentration because just one slip could prove fatal.

“We should at all cost avoid making silly mistakes,” said Osman.

He also said having eight to nine players who have played for the national team gives his side the mental strength of standing the heat playing away from home.

On his part, Nomads captain Joseph Kamwendo—who also had a stint in DRC with TP Mazembe and Don Bosco—said: “Watching their [AS Vita] clips, it gave us an idea of what to expect from them.

“We just need to close them down and stick to our game plan. It’s a team that plays good football, but we are equally a good team that can compete at any given time.”

The Nomads arrived in Kinshasa yesterday at around noon and were expected to loosen up later on.

According to AS Vita’s website [www.petroatletico.co.ao], they are hoping that their Malian attacking midfielder Oumar Sidibe would recover in time for tomorrow’s showdown.

The Kinshasa-based side were given a day off on Monday before stepping up their preparations the following day.

Their team manager Victor Ndunga declared a fortnight ago, when he was in the country that the Nomads will not stand the heat in Kinshasa.

“I don’t know how they [Wanderers] play, I have never seen them play, but I do not give them a chance. Not in Kinshasa, I don’t think so.

“Wanderers cannot beat us in Congo. We have so much experience and we have talent in abundance,” he told Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS). n

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