African Stars head coach Bob Mafoso believes the friendly matches played last weekend were valuable in preparing his team for the upcoming CAF Champions League campaign. 

The Namibian champions faced Young African, who themselves are gearing up for the CAF Confederation Cup.

Speaking after the matches, Mafoso acknowledged that although the friendlies do not fully replicate the level of competition expected in the Champions League, they offered an important opportunity to test tactical setups and player combinations.

“It will be a completely different level of competition when we get to the CAF Champions League. We’ve been dominant domestically, winning everything at home, but continental football is a different ball game altogether.”

The weekend fixtures allowed Stars to gauge their readiness against high-level opposition, with Mafoso emphasising the importance of using such opportunities to experiment tactically.

“The calibre of opponents we will face in the CAF Champions League is far higher. While the friendlies gave us a chance to assess ourselves, the real test still lies ahead,” he added.

African Stars are set to face Uganda’s Vipers SC in a two-legged tie, beginning with the first leg on 20 September at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town, with kickoff scheduled for 18h00. The return leg is set for on 26 September in Uganda, although the venue is still to be confirmed.

This year’s campaign offers African Stars another shot at making a longer run in the competition. In last year’s edition, the Namibian outfit narrowly missed out on progression after beating Jwaneng Galaxy F.C. 1-0 in the first leg, only to lose 5-6 in a dramatic penalty shootout following a 0-1 loss in the second leg.

In the group stage of the CAF Champions League, only the top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout rounds — a challenge that requires high-level performances both home and away. 

-lmupetami@nepc.com.na