TOTALENERGIES CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE -

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By Chris Dlamini

It is not over until the fat lady sings.

This idiom is one that both TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 rivals Nsingizini Hotspurs from Eswatini and Zimbabwe’s Simba Bhora, Mandla Qhogi and Joel Luphahla appeared to refer to in their post-match comments.

The gaffers anticipate a tougher second leg encounter this Sunday when they meet again at Somhlolo National Stadium in Eswatini.

Luphahla got the last laugh over the weekend, on Sunday to be precise, in the first leg at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, Botswana. His team won 1-0 in what was an almost evenly contested affair.

“It’s a big result for us. This is the Champions League and every chance you get counts. We created chances and used one. Now we go to Eswatini, and we know it won’t be easy.

“We played a very good team, and they will definitely be very difficult at home. We must have a plan, and we know what we must do but it’s still going to be a very tough one,” said Luphahla.

He said they could have done better but their finishing was lacking and that was the main area to fix ahead of Sunday’s second leg.

“This is our first Champions League and my first too as a coach and Qhogi has more years in the coaching space than me,” Luphahla noted.

He further praised his players for their showing and thanked all their supporters who travelled from Zimbabwe and those staying in Francistown for their cheers on the stands.

Nsingizini midfielder Yekisizswe Khumalo negotiating past Simba Bhora players.

His counterpart, Qhogi minced no words: the narrow defeat was not the end, just like Luphahla also acknowledged it.

“We lost and narrowly so. Yes, we didn’t play to the level we had expected but we created our chances too.

“This one is definitely not over, and we’ll give it everything to win it at home,” he declared.

Qhogi said they were going to win and advance to the next round by hook or crook, come Sunday. The second leg clash will kick off at 3pm at the country’s soccer Mecca, Somhlolo National Stadium at Lobamba.

“Coming to the game, we played well and I’m proud of my players. We have a chance to win at home after this result and at least we know our rivals and our own weaknesses to work on ahead of the second leg,” said Qhogi.

Questioned about the late substitutions, he explained that at 0-0, the game was balanced, and they did not want to make rash decisions.

Nsingizini conceded almost an hour into the match as Bharaba and his defence could not deal with a cross floating into the box. The result means both sides still got work to do as the game remains open.

The team to win it on aggregate after the two legs will advance to the second preliminary stage against either Tanzania’s Simba SC or Botswana’s Gaborone United.

The former managed a 1-0 away win against Gaborone United at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium on Friday.

Meanwhile, Nsingizini was watched by its optimistic President, Derrick Shiba and the combined Eswatini teams’ supporters who travelled to Botswana.

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