Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zambia U20 ease past Seychelles

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On a dark day for Zambia football following death of Kabwe Warriors coach Arnold Mtonga over the weekend, two of his protégés inspired the Zambia Under-20 national team to an emphatic 7-1 win over Seychelles this afternoon here at KaNyamazane stadium in Mpumalanga.

Mtonga died on Sunday in a road traffic accident in Kabwe just eight months after taking charge at Warriors from Levy Chabala.

Meanwhile back to today’s game, Seychelles took shock 2nd minute lead as Zambia looked lax that saw Ian Mellie slotting in the opener leaving George Lwandamina’s boys stunned.

However, Zambia quickly recovered from the early setback.

Influential striker Emmanuel Mayuka who was one of Mtonga’s key strikers in his tenure prior to his tragic death equalized in the 9th minute to score the first of his two goals of the day.

Three minutes later Judge Mukandawire made it 2-1 as the Zambia comeback begun after he finished off a rebound from Michael Katongo’s earlier effort.

Mayuka could have added his second in the 23rd minute with a cheeky lob over Seychelles goalkeeper Julio Toulon but Kevin Qatre was quick to clear the ball before it crossed the line.

Then enter Warriors playmaker Henry Banda.

Banda’s cross from wide on the right found Mayuka who rifled in from the near left post to make it 3-1.

Mayuka could have dispatched at least five more chances had he been more composed in front of goal in the opening half.

Banda on the other hand was turning soul provider for Zambia who needed an emphatic score line to help keep them in the hunt for a semi-final place on Friday in a very tight Group B.

His cross in the 28th minute found Red Arrows winger Simon Lupiya in front of the goalmouth who headed in the ball to make it 4-1.

Judge Mukandawire too was a benefactor of Banda’s vision and craft and the Arrows striker headed in Zambia’s 5th on the half-hour mark to see Zambia go 5-1 into the break.

Seychelles threatened after the break but Zambia stayed firmly in control with55th minute entrant Musonda Munaile, son of ex-Zambia and Zanaco player Emmanuel Munaile, showing some promise with some good passing and vision in the middle of the park.

17 COMMENTS

  1. Too bad for Mtonga, it is a hard pill to swallow. We have lost so many people. Any way what really hanppened? May his SOUL rest in peace

  2. In Zambia we lack contacts. The entire U-20 team that went to canada is supposed to be in Europe. Only Kola is attending trials and Fwayo is moving to a tunisian club. What is Mayuka doing playing in Cosafa! Sebastian Mwansa is such a classy midfielder what is he doing in Zambia? Clifford Mulenga and co? What is going on in Zambian soccer? It pains me to see useless South African and Angolan players playing in Europe and yet our juniour teams and national squad are better. This is so frustrating

  3. i agree with Jo, its a real pity that our players lack promotion through bonafide agents. Thats the reason why our fine talent ends up in the hands of mediocre clubs.Surely our football association should be able to make adequate contacts with reputable agents on behalf of our boys. who is responsible for marketing zambian taent at the association level? My condolences to the family,friends, and players of the late Mtonga.Always sad to lose talent in a country of so few.

  4. by the way, i applaud the blog for finally getting rid of all those foul-mouthed freaks that have been tainting this very useful site with their crude, unzambian-like language!

  5. Ba “Soccer Patriot”, its not good to start inciting and calling your friends names. If you were asked to translate “foul-mouthed, freaks” in a Zambian language, te nsele sana isho?
    Lets just support the likes of Mayuka and his teammates to concentrate on their assignments and enjoy the game. They should honor their late coach Anold, with good play and discipline. M.H.S.R.I.P

  6. Jo #2 I think we need more Zambians to become licensed agents maybe that way these boys can go to good European teams. They say necessity is the mother of invention right? The real solution though I believe is to improve sports infrastructure and strengthen the local league by encouraging both local and foreign investment. Once our league becomes competitive and lucrative, the boys can entertain local fans. Some of these boys still need playing time before they can go abroad to be bench warmers.

  7. My condolences to the late A.Mtonga’s family,Kabwe Warriors and the entire Soccer fraternity in Zambia.
    Sad news indeed!
    To the U-20 keep flying, the flag higher.Don’t get complacent the cup should be your target.
    Jo #3 i wouldn’t agree with you more,you spot on.

  8. How many people have Warriors lost to road accidents??Are people from Kabwe poor drivers or just unlucky on the road ??

  9. #6.Rebuke noted and accepted. In my defence the above quoted phrase te nsele iyo, ba kalamba! It just merely describes the bad behavior exibited by certain people. No offense meant.It is football we are here to to talk about,isnt it? #11. thats a very interesting observation. a few weeks ago i was looking at a site that info on sports personalities killed during their careers across the globe-majority died in car crashes.Wierd isnt it?

  10. Ba Soccer Patriot(12),i’m rather disturbed at the coincidences involving Warriors people!Are footballers so excitable that they drive irresponsibly?I know women excite them terribly,the results i’ve seen for myself as i have left many a fantastic footballer at cemeteries on the Copperbelt!Can you imagine how the few that have survived(i.e Fighton,Ben,Patrick etc) feel.Gabon disaster wiped out a team that would probably be dead by now anyway!We need to encourage responsible living among our stars

  11. Just for your information to be registered by FIFA as an agent one needs to pay 1 million American Dollars. That is why we have few soccer agents especially in southern Africa. It is the same reason Mike Makaab did a bad job for Mbesuma because there is so much demand for him all over Africa and he is the only FIFA registered agent in working in southern Africa

  12. Its hard to believe that Anold Mtonga is no longer with us.It’s hardly two months when we were cheering you at nkoloma stadium when warriors defeated Nakambala.How ever God’s way can not be understood by man.We can only everything in his hands.To the family,remain strong and don’t give up as you undergo this trying moment.May His Soul rest in peace.

  13. Ba Pundit #13, yes, you’re spot on with our comment about resonsible living. i did mention the article i googled while trying to get more information about the gabon air disaster. alot of those athletes they mentioned as killed in car crashes were found to be under the influence of alchohol. But i must stress that it would be unfair and irresponsible for us to suggest in anyway that the great Arnold Mtonga could have been in a similar state.

  14. T.Boz#14 thanks for your input about the agents. i dont think many of us realise whats involved, and u’ve clarified just how difficult it is for most of our players to get representation.i still feel that the best theatre for our players to show their talent is at a national team level, as there are scouts at these events. Hence the need to educate our players about showing their”A” Game. Refusal of players to feature for their country is equal to shooting themselves in the foot.

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