Green Eagles coach Aggrey Chiyangi backs his team to hold their own against their Caf Champions League opponents Orlando Pirates.

The Zambian outfit are set to make their second appearance in the continental tournament after their debut in the Caf Confederation Cup during the 2018-19 campaign and which they exited in the second round last December.

However, Eagles return to make their first-ever Caf Champions League appearance when they take on the Buccaneers in the preliminary-round first leg at the Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka on Saturday.

Chiyangi, who is also the head coach for the Zambian national team, is no stranger to the Pirates attack as he coaches the likes of Justine Shonga and Augustine Mulenga at Chipolopolo.

‘The mindset that we want to put in our players is they have to make history again and that means we have to fight hard to make sure that we qualify for the next round,’ Chiyangi said.

‘We know that Pirates will be difficult but we will make sure that we will also do our best because in football anything can happen.

‘You cannot just play football on paper; football is played on the pitch.’

Meanwhile, Chiyangi has kept the core of his team from last season’s continental outing and bolstered the squad by acquiring the services of Andrew Kwiliko, Bonson Muchindu, Benson Nzuma, Gozon Mutale, Hosea Silwimba and Magani Phiri, who have all been registered in Eagles 28-man squad for the Champions League.