Madagascan outfit FC Rouge head coach Abdou Amara says his side is determined to fight for a place in the next round of the CAF Confederation Cup as they make their first-ever continental interclub appearance.
FC Rouge will face Red Arrows at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola tomorrow at 15:00 hours in the first leg of the preliminary round.
Amara acknowledged the challenge posed by Red Arrows, describing the Zambian side as an experienced team accustomed to playing tough continental matches.
“Yes, indeed, we are aware that Red Arrows is a big team, a team which is used to playing a tough competition, but once our first participation, we didn’t come just as a team, but we came to compete and to show what we can,” Amara said.
He said his team’s objective is to put itself in a strong position in the first leg and ultimately progress to the next stage of the competition.
“Our objective is to go to the first place and finish the job. We need to defend well so that we can play a second time (round); that is our objective,” he said.
The FC Rouge coach dismissed the notion that Red Arrows’ experience automatically makes them favourites, arguing that modern football has narrowed the gap between established and less experienced teams.
“You know, in modern football there is no big and small team. We are all in one, so it’s 11 against 11.”
The two teams will meet again in the return leg next weekend, with the aggregate winner advancing to the next stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, where Kaizer Chiefs awaits.
