Thumbs up to How Mine

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HOW MINE are ecstatic after cruising through to the next stage of the Caf Confederation Cup following their 2-1 victory over Chuoni in Zanzibar

HOW MINE are ecstatic after cruising through to the next stage of the Caf Confederation Cup following their 2-1 victory over Chuoni at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar on Saturday.

SUKOLUHLE MTHETHWA SPORTS REPORTER

How Mine thumped Chuoni 4-0 at Barbourfields Stadium last week and are through to the next round with a 6 -1 aggregate win.

How Mine will now meet ASSM Elgeco Plus (Madagascar) which qualified after winning 7-6 on penalties.

In the first leg of the preliminary round St Michel beat ASSM Elgeco Plus 2-1 in Seychelles and the Madagascan side won by the same score line at home resulting in a penalty shootout.

How Mine scored through Thembani Masuku in the 10th minute and Kudakwashe Musharu in the 80th minute to beat Chuoni FC in front of their home crowd in the island resort off the coast of Tanzania.

Musharu has now banged in three goals in the tournament after grabbing a brace at BF.

How Mine chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo was over the moon after the victory in their maiden appearance in the African Safari.

“We are so excited to have made it past the preliminary round at the first time of trying. The reception and conditions for the second leg were far from perfect but the boys responded well and stuck to the objective of the mission to come and finish off the tie,” he said.

He said they are now preparing for the next stage.

“Now that we are in the first round proper, we have to start preparing with the view that the next hurdle is tougher than the last one. The next two weeks will demand a lot of hard work and focus,” he said from Zanzibar yesterday.

Nkomo said the victory will go a long way in helping the team not only in the cup competition, but in the local league, where they will be chasing honours in addition to taking part in the Mbada Diamonds Cup and possibly the new Net One Sup8r Cup.

“The victory has definitely raised the level of confidence in the team and we expect this to have a ripple effect, not only in the Caf Confederations Cup but in our season in general,” he said.

The Bulawayo-based team is probably rated as underdogs in the competition considering that this is their debut in the Caf Confederation Cup. They are expected to arrive in Harare this afternoon.