RED Arrows head coach Chisi Mbewe has expressed his excitement to play against Young Africans during the ‘Wiki ya Mwananchi’ on Sunday as an opportunity to test his guns ahead of their CAF Champions League preliminary stage.

This comes barely a few weeks after winning the 2024 CECAFA Dar Port Kagame Cup title in Tanzania. 

Mbewe’s side also won both the MTN Super League and the ABSA Cup this year.

‘Wiki ya Mwananchi’ finale is a special day where the Young Africans’ fans welcome the new season with excitement of its kind while introducing new players who will represent the club in different tournaments. 

The introduction of the Young Africans squad for the 2024/2025 season will be accompanied by entertainment from various artists and finally, a friendly game that will make the side’s fans witness the level of hard work from the new squad.

Mbewe believes that playing Young Africans during the peak of their "Wiki ya Mwanachi’ celebrations will provide a stern test for his squad. With both teams boasting championship titles, the coach views the match as a ‘clash of champions’.

Young Africans returned home recently from the pre-season tour in South Africa where they lost against Bundesliga side FC Augsburg 2-1, before winning 1-0 against TS Galaxy and 4-0 against Kaizer Chiefs for the Toyota Cup international friendly.

"We respect Young Africans' reputation and their talented players. This game will help us identify areas for improvement as we gear up for the next season. We look at how they performed in their pre-season preparations in South Africa and show how this match is important for us," he said.

Red Arrows, fresh off their treble-winning season, are eager to maintain their winning momentum against Tanzanian giants Young Africans. 

"Our treble-winning last season is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team. We are excited to test ourselves against Young Africans, a club with a rich history, and this will serve as an opportunity to test ourselves before facing Nyasa Big Bullets in the CAF Champions League preliminary stage," he added.

Red Arrows will clash against Nyasa Big Bullets of Malawi in the first preliminary round of the CAF Champions League 2024/25. The two-legged tie will take place between August 16 and 25. The winners of the two-legged match will face TP Mazembe of DRC in the second preliminary round in September.

With Zambia needing points to climb back up on the CAF rankings and possibly push for four slots, Red Arrows will have to dig deep and go far in the competition.