Africa-Press – Eswatini. Royal Leopard midfielder Junior Magagula has received glowing praise from JS Saoura coach Kais Yaâkoubi. The Algerian side beat Leopard 2-0 in what was the reigning MTN Premier League champions’ first game in the group stages of the Total Energies CAF Confederation Cup on Sunday night.
The Tunisian coach stressed that his team needed to re-launch in this group and give the real kick-start to their continental adventure after their opening defeat to South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.
“This team (Leopard) is not here by chance. Three points had to remain in our hands,” he said to the press, not without paying respect to the brilliance of Andy Junior Magagula.
“It is a team that is not there by chance, if you take into consideration that they eliminated one of the favourites of the competition (JS Kabylie). We were able to watch the two matches the played against Kabylie, which were rich in lessons that we discussed with the players, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of this team and of course it was important to neutralise Magagula. Leopard have a very good player in Magagula,” said Yakoubi glowingly of the crafty midfielder. Addressing the question of recovery after the gruelling trip made last week to South Africa where they received a thrashing from Pirates, the Tunisian said, “The management has put the necessary means to recover well from this trip and the negative effects of the defeat on the minds of the players,” he said.
Leopard will play their first home game away from home after the ban of Mavuso Sports Centre by CAF when they welcome Pirates at Mbombela Stadium on Sunday. Former Leopard flying winger Bonginkhosi ‘Manyovu’ Dlamini was signed by Angolan champions Sagrada Esparanca after impressing in the CAF inter-club competitions.
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