Kamwendo steers Be Forward Wanderers’ march
Malawi champions, Be Forward Wanderers, will bank on Joseph Kamwendo’s experience as they travel to Kinshasa as guests of AS Vita in their preliminary round first leg clash on Sunday.
Wanderers, who won the Malawi league for the first time since 2006, are back in the elite continental club championship for the first time in 17 years.
Understandably, Wanderers are heading into an unknown territory with former TP Mazembe offensive midfielder, Kamwendo, as the only member of the squad with an insight on what to expect in the Kinshasa tie.
Kamwendo, who has played for clubs in Mozambique, Denmark and South Africa, spend two and half years at Mazembe between 2013 and 2016, and says he is eager to share his experience with his playing mates to achieve a reasonable result.
“I have shared my experiences with the rest of the players in terms of what we can expect in Kinshasa. AS Vita are a big club with a huge fan base. While at Mazembe, I must have featured in matches against Vita 10 times.
“Matches between Mazembe and Vita are derbies and the atmosphere can be intimidating to a newcomer. We need to be brave and fight. Just like other supporters, Vita supporters can switch their allegiance and support a visiting team whenever they are unsatisfied with their team and we can capitalise on this,” Kamwendo told CAFonline.com.
Other experienced campaigners in Wanderers squad are Richard Chipuwa, Esau Kanyenda, Harry Nyirenda and Peter Wadabwa as they face Vita in the first ever meeting between the two sides at any level.
Wanderers will be encouraged by the two wins they chalked in four warm ups after beating rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Masters Security FC 2-0 and 4-0 while drawing 1-1 with Mangochi Select before losing 0-1 to Mozambique champions UD Songo.
The second leg will take place on Wednesday, 21 February 2018 in Lilongwe.
Fixtures
Saturday, 10 February 2018
CNaPs Sport (Madagascar) vs KCCA (Uganda)
Zanaco (Zambia) vs Armed Forces (Gambia)
Stade Malien (Mali) vs Williamsville AC (Cote d’Ivoire)
RC Kadiogo (Burkina Faso) vs Mounana (Gabon)
AS FAN (Niger) vs Horoya (Guinea)
Generation Foot (Senegal) vs Makkassa (Egypt)
Young Africans (Tanzania) vs Saint Louis (Seychelles)
Township Rollers (Botswana) vs El Merreikh (Sudan)
Gor Mahia (Kenya) vs Leones Vegatarianos (Equatorial Guinea)
Concorde (Mauritania) vs Esperance (Tunisia)
AC Leopards (Congo) vs AS Port (Togo)
JKU (Zanzibar) vs Zesco (Zambia)
Difaa El Jadida (Morocco) vs Benfica (Guinea Bissau)
Bidvest (South Africa) vs Pamplemousses (Mauritius)
Rayon Sports (Rwanda) vs Lydia Academic (Burundi)
Sunday, 11 February 2018
Saint George (Ethiopia) vs Al Salam Wau (South Sudan)
Bantu (Lesotho) vs Mbabane Swallows (Swaziland)
El Tahadi (Libya) vs Aduana (Ghana)
ES Setif (Algeria) vs Olympic de Bangui (Central African Republic)
AS Real (Mali) vs MFM (Nigeria)
AS Otoho (Congo) vs MC Alger (Algeria)
Plateau United (Nigeria) vs Eding Sport (Cameroon)
LISCR (Liberia) vs El Hilal (Sudan)
Buffles (Benin) vs ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire)
Ngaya (Comoros) vs UD Songo (Mozambique)
AS Vita (DR Congo) vs Be Forward (Malawi)
Primeiro de Agosto (Angola) vs FC Platinum (Zimbabwe)