Green Mamba Bank On Continental Know-How Ahead of Confederation Cup Test Against Club Desportivo

Green Mamba FC are leaning on continental experience, not just ambition, as they prepare to open their CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Angola's Club Desportivo de Agosto.

The Eswatini Premier League side and Ingwenyama Cup winners host the Angolans in the first leg on the weekend of September 4, with the return fixture in Angola the following weekend, Pan Africa Football reported.

Squad depth over squad talk

Head coach Mthunzi Ginindza told Pan Africa Football his side, also known as Inyok'eluhlazane, has built its preparation around players who have already been tested at continental level.

"We have players who have experience. We have six players who have been playing in the national team and again, six players who are used to playing in the CAF Champions League," Ginindza said.

He added that the squad is treating the tie as the first step toward a longer run in the competition. "We need to win this game against the Angolan side. The guys are eager to continue from the preliminary round to the next round," he said.

Chasing fitness in Mozambique

The bigger challenge, according to Ginindza, is timing. Eswatini's domestic season has not yet started, leaving Green Mamba to manufacture match sharpness outside their own league. The club has already played friendlies in South Africa and will travel to Mozambique for a final tune-up against an opponent yet to be confirmed.

"Even though the game has come at the wrong time when the domestic league has not started, we will try to push so that the players have match fitness," he said.

Green Mamba have two CAF Champions League appearances on their record, alongside three MTN Premier League titles, two Swazi Cup wins and the Ingwenyama Cup they currently hold.

Whoever wins the tie advances to the second preliminary round to face either DC Virunga of DR Congo or Seychelles' P. Bazar Brothers FC.