GABORONE, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Botswana football giants Township Rollers started their tour of the 2017/18 Confederations of African Football (CAF) Champions League on Friday.
The Gaborone-based club will make history as they become the first team from the southern Africa nation to play in the group stages of Africa's biggest club football competition.
They saw off Al-Merrikh of Sudan and Young Africans of Tanzania in the preliminary stages of the competition. They are scheduled to take on KCCA Football Club (FC) of Uganda at the National Stadium on Friday evening.
Addressing a press conference in Gaborone on Thursday, Rollers coach Nikola Kavazovic said his team is charged up for the tie and was confident of victory.
The Serbian mentor who looks set to win the domestic league title in his maiden season in Botswana said at this stage, everyone is motivated to get maximum points, especially when playing at home.
He said his team has the necessary quality and experience to hold their fort against the continent's best. Rollers are in group A alongside record eight -time champions Al Ahly of Egypt, Tunisian giants Esperance as well as KCCA, who like Rollers are playing in the group stages for the first time.
Kavazovic would be looking to in form winger Joel Mogorosi to get the goals and guide the team to victory against the visitors.
The experienced national team star and former Rollers captain has been in fine form scoring four goals in the last three league matches including a brace last Saturday.
Rollers defence would however have to remain wary of KCCA young marksman Muhammad Shaban who is reported to be in hot form lately scoring six times in his last two appearances.
The home side will also be willing to test stand in KCCA goalkeeper as the visitors' first choice is serving a suspension. Meanwhile KCCA arrived in Botswana on Wednesday and trained at the match venue on Thursday.