Zambia’s representatives in the CAF Inter-Club competitions, Power Dynamos and Red Arrows, squared off in a pre-season match at Arthur Davies Stadium, with Power emerging 1-0 winners.

Power will represent Zambia in the CAF Champions League, while Arrows will compete in the second-tier Confederation Cup.

The two sides faced off yesterday afternoon in the four-team pre-season tournament, with Power securing victory through a Daniel Adoko goal.

However, the two coaches had contrasting views on the significance of the result.

Power coach Osward Mutapa described the win as important, saying the match provided a realistic test of his team’s fitness levels in front of spectators.

“The result is always important. Today was more about creating the atmosphere of a real game, unlike friendlies where you have no spectators. Today, we had fans, and you could see that it brings a bit of pressure. That is how you see how far you have gone in terms of fitness levels,” Mutapa said in a post-match interview.

However, Red Arrows coach Chisi Mbewe played down the importance of the result, saying his focus was on assessing the team’s progress in pre-season.

“I would say we are in pre-season, so the result should not matter much. I think we are trying to assess the level the team has reached in terms of preparation. Otherwise, so far, so good. I love the intensity of the team and the competition against Power Dynamos,” Mbewe said.