Zambia Under-23’s qualification to the Beijing Olympic Games football tournament suffered a major upset when they lost 2-1 away to Senegal on Saturday in their fourth Group B game played in Dakar.
Peter Kaumba’s teams defeat means they surrender their five-month-old dominance of Group B since the pool stage qualifiers began on June 3.
This is after Cote d’Ivoire beat Mali 2-1 in Bamako yesterday in their Group B match.
Cote d’Ivoire ‘s win means they usurp Zambia at the top of Group B to move from 6 to 9 points, exchanging places with the latter who stay put on 7 points while Senegal remain 3rd but move to 5 points after their home win.
Zambia’s defeat was their first in the Olympic qualifiers but signs of the team losing steam in the race to China were evident in their last Group B match against Senegal last month in Lusaka when they stuttered and came from behind to draw 1-1.
Kaumba’s team will now have to beat the Ivorian’s in the two sides penultimate Group B tie during the weekend of November 17-18 in Abidjan to keep their now slim hopes of making it to the Beijing finals alive.
Another win for Cote d’Ivoire in that match against Zambia will see them book their place to the Olympic Games with a match in hand with a potential unassailable 12 points going into their final Group B games on March 26 next year.
In their final Group B matches next March, Zambia will host bottom of the table Mali while Cote d’Ivoire travel to Dakar.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Under-23 is due back home this Wednesday, October 17.
Zambia have not qualified to the Olympic Games football tournament since the 1988 event hosted in Seoul, South Korea.
Another sad day for zedian soccer. We are almost out of contention and we lost the plot in Lusaka against Senegal.
camping the team in Maamba, this is is the result FAZ ni mbwa, ba fikala ba FAZ mamba mwe mbwa mwe amatole, finyo fwaba mai banu
Kaumba is a dog
FAZ mabolo
Zambia needs to tie or win in Abidjan. Then we have a chance since our game in march ’08 is easier than Cote d’Ivoire game.
No Zambia will qualify. We have only lost one game. This group is very tough. Cotediviore will lose in senegal. Senegalese now believe they can qualify. So the Ivorians will have a togh game.
You Zamabian, you only crititize the coach after you lose. The team is performing well they even scored a goal. Wiat you will see.Be patriotic and Zambia shall be in Beijing 2008.Those insults some of the bloggers are hauling at the team at the coach will never make the team qualify. All the what is needed to rally behind the team. FAZ find some friendlies to play not go to Maamba. Playing Division one teams cannot give international competitions like Olympics a solid preparation.
It’s sad we lost but, All is not lost this is football.We now need to go force a draw in Ivory Coast or win.Though a win won’t be easy cos Cote D’voire can sense the going through.We seem to want to do do the job at the last minute.Now our backs are against the wall like it was against South Africa.This is dangerous for sure we did not prepare for this game Faz seemed relaxed thinking the team has qualified.How can you be playing L/Stone Pirates and all those select sides when you going to be
Let us not blame or insult any one for this bitter loss but give encouragements to the Team and the coaching staff so that we win the crucial away encounter against Ivory Coast. The game will be tough, but we should only expect positive results because a loss will be disastrous. I can only advise FAZ to adquately plan for the game and keep the Team in Camp for not less the 6Weeks other wise failure is guaranteed. Surely we can carry the day……..GO ZAMBIA GO!!!
cont # 8 playing a Senegalese team with players in playing France and the rest of Europe.I wonder why Rainfrd Kalaba has been dropped from the team.The guy can help the team cos hes above most of his peers in the team.He reads the game well and he’s the best local player we have in Zambia at the moment.Ghana have been using Asamoa Gyan and Kingstone for their U-23s.These guys played at the 2006 World Cup last year.The are not taking any chances in terms of qualifying.
I personally think Rainford Kalaba and Cliffod Mulenga recalled to the U-23 National Team. C.Mulenga was the man of the Match against Ivory Coast when we whacked them 2-0.He gave the Ivorian’s lots of problems in that game.I really wonder why these two guys have been excluded from the team cos form wise the are the Top.
What we need is the best team on the field every time our National teams are playing.
I personally think Rainford Kalaba and Clifford Mulenga should be recalled to the U-23 National Team. C.Mulenga was the man of the Match against Ivory Coast when we whacked them 2-0.He gave the Ivorian’s lots of problems in that game.I really wonder why these two guys have been excluded from the team cos form wise the are the Top.
What we need is the best team on the field every time our National teams are playing.
never give up.
never say die.
sibs,you are the man!
you are a true soccer fan.
The U-23team has been doing fine so far though a 1-1 draw against Senegal in Zambia was not a very good result.
#12 yes the team may need reinforcement and Kaumba is a good coach who can work on that aspect. Kalaba-Mulenga combination can be very deadly to any team like it used to be at U-20. Other players like Mayuka, Chibambo can also deliver upfront. The coaches’ strategy and players’ focus in the last two fixtures must be clear wins. All is not lost ba Zambia Chipolopolo VIVA ZAMBIA
let us wait and see,all the best and hope you beat those guys in their home country…which might be a mile stone.
what has happened to fwayo tembo who was a star 1 year ago? havent heard about him since t u-20 world cup and that he was stuck in zurich when he was supposed to go there for trials. which zed team is he training with these days? with him back into good shape, t u-23 will be further boosted!