Al Merrikh SC head coach Darko Novic has warned his players against complacency as they travel to Zambia holding a slender 1-0 advantage over Power Dynamos in their CAF Champions League first-round tie.
The Sudanese side secured victory in the first leg through Bashir Bangoura’s 39th-minute penalty, but Novic believes Al Merrikh should have taken a more comfortable lead into the return fixture.
"It was very special to win, but we should have scored more goals,” Novic said after the match.
The Serbian tactician acknowledged the threat posed by Power Dynamos and called on his players to maintain their focus ahead of what he expects to be a difficult second leg.
"The team is good, but we need to keep fighting for the next match. Power Dynamos have strong players, and we must be ready for a tough challenge,” Novic said in a post-match interview.
While the result gives Al Merrikh the advantage, their failure to convert several chances means the tie remains finely balanced.
Al Merrikh created enough opportunities to build a bigger cushion, but their wastefulness allowed Power Dynamos to remain within touching distance despite spending much of the match under pressure.
Novic, however, took encouragement from his side’s ability to consistently create chances. He now wants his players to improve their efficiency in the final third and turn their attacking dominance into goals in Zambia.
"My feeling is very good because we won, but we need more work in this big competition,” he said.
"It is only the first step. We missed a lot of chances, and it is difficult to win these matches. We won at home and we want to build on it.”
Novic also welcomed the six or seven days available for his squad to recover and prepare for the return fixture.
"Those six or seven days give us proper time to rest,” he said.
"I expect the second leg to be very competitive, and we need to go there with confidence of winning it. I believe we have a realistic chance, but we want to fight until the end.”
The coach also expressed confidence in the quality within his squad, insisting Al Merrikh have enough strength to overcome the Zambian side and progress.
"My team is in that mix. We now have time to rest unlike before, and we have better players who can beat any team,” he added.
The return fixture will take place at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Saturday, September 12.