Strikers irritate Micho

Mar 05, 2003

POOR finishing cost SC Villa the African Champions League return leg preliminary round tie against Burundi’s Muzinga Sunday and the club intends to solve the weakness immediately.

By Norman Katende
POOR finishing cost SC Villa the African Champions League return leg preliminary round tie against Burundi’s Muzinga Sunday and the club intends to solve the weakness immediately.
Villa coach Micho Sredojevic sees Eritrean striker Biniam Gebreslassie as the solution, and is pestering his officials and FUFA to speed up his transfer.
The CECAFA Club Champions, who missed 12 clear scoring chances in Bujumbura, want Biniam at least three weeks before they take on Angola’s AS Aviacao on April 12-13.
“It was really terrible that we squandered many chances. We are trying to finalise with Gebreslassie within the next week and am sure that will solve our problem,” said Sredojevic yesterday.
Lead striker Alex Isabirye’s succumbing to flu on the eve of the match made matters worse.
Though talks were completed, Villa is yet to get the International Transfer Certificate for the striker.
FUFA secretary Haruna Mawanda said their counterparts in Eritrea are yet to respond. “We are still waiting for a reply. The rules give 30 days or processing the ITC”.
Villa’s Angolan first round opponents AS Aviacao were held to a goalless draw by Academica Lobito and lie fifth on the table after the start of the new Girabola season.
Petro Atletico won a third successive match and lead by two points from InterClube of Luanda.
“We anticipate that it will be a tough team but we are ready to advance on,” said Sredojevic of the two-time Angola champions.
Petro's latest win came when they beat Sporting Cabinda 2-0 in Luanda, marking a successful start for new Dutch coach Jan Brouwer.
The second goal was scored by Zambian defender Elijah Tana, brought from Lusaka by Brouwer, a former Zambian national coach.
Ends

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