International friendly

Today (3.30pm)
APR vs St.George (Regional Stadium)

ERIK Paske will have a chance to assess his new players today when APR plays St. George in a friendly at Nyamirambo’s regional stadium.

With the race for the national league title heating up and the Caf Orange Champions League round the corner, the Dutch tactician saw a great need to beef up his squad with three Malawians.

"I have watched them playing for the Flames (Malawi national team) but club football is quite different from football at national team level so it’s important to see how they get on with the rest of the players and into our system,” Paske, who replaced Rene Fuller noted.

Chuikepo Msoweya (striker) and Victor Nyirenda (midfielder) will no doubt play a part in today’s game. However, Elvis Kafoteka (left-back) is only expected to arrive tomorrow following the death of one of his parents.

APR, who recently walloped Zebres 10-0 in the first round of the MTN Peace Cup, will open their Champions League campaign with a two-legged tie against Angola’s Recreativo de Libolo. Should they qualify to the next round, a tough test awaits them in TP Mazembe. The Congolese giants are the competition reigning champions.

Meanwhile, Ostine Arinaitwe reports that Paske is in relaxed mood ahead of this afternoon’s clash with St.George.

Even with little knowledge about the Ethiopian giants, the Dutch tactician insists that if his players concentrate on their strengths, they have a big chance of winning the tie.

"I’m told that it is a good team. It has dominated Ethiopian football for a long time but I have prepared my boys well and if we concentrate on our strong points, we have a good chance of winning.”

"It is the sort of opposition the team needs before embarking on the Champions league campaign,” Paske said.

The military side will be missing influential defender Mbuyu Twite and midfielder Kalisa Mao through injury while Captain Abbas Rassou and winger Didier Kapet are serving suspension for indiscipline.

Ends