CAFCL: Power Dynamos on mission ahead of Vipers SC return leg – Mutapa

Zambia Super League champions Power Dynamos took a huge step toward CAF Champions League group stage qualification after securing a crucial 2-1 away victory over Ugandan champions Vipers SC in the first leg of the second preliminary round at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Sunday.

After an entertaining, but 0-0 first half, the Venoms broke the deadlock early in the second half through Yunus Sentamu, who pounced from close range in the 48th minute after benefiting from a goalmouth scramble in the Power Dynamos box.

However, Dynamos responded swiftly just five minutes later. Kenyan international Moses Shumah latched onto a precise through ball from Nigerian defender Samuel Ayodeji Bamidele, outpacing his marker before firing a sublime finish into the top corner past Denis Kiggundu, to restore parity.

With 12 minutes remaining on the clock, Dynamos had their breakthrough when Vipers defender Derrick Ndahiro, under pressure, turned the ball into his own net. This proved a costly mistake as it decided the game in Power’s favour, much to the delight of the traveling fans.

‘Dynamos have to do the job back home’

Despite the 2-1 lead, Dynamos coach Osward Mutapa has called on his charges to stay grounded and make sure that they finish the job at home during the return leg.

“Difficult game, we are a team that is on a mission and we came to get a result. We have to do the job back home in the second round, this is not the end of the game we have the second half to play. It’s an important result that we wanted to get from here as we go back,” he said as quoted by Bola News.

Mutapa continued: “A very big boost in terms of our qualification, we have given ourselves a benchmark we need to play group stages of the Champions League, but this is not the end of it we have 90 minutes to play, which will be the second half in Zambia.”

The result left Dynamos firmly in control of the tie, carrying two vital away goals and a one-goal cushion into the decisive second leg at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, with just 90 minutes separating Aba Yellow from a historic qualification to Champions League group stages.