Rollers concerned about safety in Sudan
Staff Writer | Friday December 15, 2017 14:39
Rollers were pitted against the Sudanese champions in a draw conducted in Cairo on Wednesday. But Rollers public relations officer, Bafana Pheto said they are concerned with the team’s safety due to the unstable political situation in Sudan.
“The problem is security. We are concerned as you know that there are always wars in Sudan. We wish CAF would move the match to a neutral venue,” Pheto said yesterday. He said Rollers is ready to face Merrikh, but their only worry is safety.
Additionally, Pheto said they were taken aback when they were drawn against a team from Central Africa. Rollers are now expected to spend in the region of P500,000 to fulfil the Sudan fixture, although Pheto said they would sit down and calculate the costs. “We were surprised (to be drawn) against the Sudanese because we thought we were going to play teams within the region first. It is not fair in terms of expense. We do not know how much it will cost, but last time we travelled to Madagascar (to face CNaPs) we spent P400,000. We still have to sit down and calculate the costs,” Pheto said. Rollers will be looking to make a real impact in the continental competition, after they were bundled out of the preliminary round by CNaPs, despite a 4-4 aggregate draw.
CNaPs went through on the away goal rule, leaving local sides still searching for a first ever entry into the group stages of either the Champions League or Confederations Cup. The 2018 Champions League will begin on the weekend of February 9-11 with the two-leg final set for November.