Friday, March 29, 2024

Outplayed Namibia ejects Zambia from Cosafa U20 Championships

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Zambia outplayed Namibia but could not find their way pasted their opponent’s goalkeeper before being dumped out of this year Cosafa Under-20 championships in Mpumalanga on Tuesday night after losing 2-1 at Thulamahashe stadium.

Striker Emmanuel Mayuka including Under-20 revelation and his Kabwe Warriors club mate Henry Banda through everything at Namibia but there could just not find their way past the Namibian goalie.

Zambia were by far the better side with Konkola blades midfielder Stophira Nsunzu coming out his shell with a fine display and combining to produce some sweet build-ups with Banda and Mayuka.

However, the Zambian footballs characteristics of its inability to hold on to a lead and convert important chances in crucial matches returned.

Furthermore, some lax marking at the back and basic goalkeeping errors played their part in the under-20 elimination from the tournament.

“We realised that their number 7 (Simon Lupiya) was spending more time forward than helping with defensive duties on the right side of midfield,” Samaria said.

“We exploited that lapse because he left his right back very exposed.”

Zambia took the early lead in the game through the teams top scorer Mayuka in the 22nd minute who scored his 4th goal of the tournament after finding the target in each of Zambia’s three Group B matches.

Mayuka steamed past Namibia’s defence to put Zambia a 1-0 lead into the break before Lazarus Kaimbi scored two quick-fire goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes.

Zambia finished third in Group B on four points, three behind Namibia who reached the semi-finals for a potential meeting with Group D leaders Zimbabwe on Friday.

Angola were also sent packing after finishing second in Group B on five points despite crushing bottom placed Seychelles 8-0.

Their German based striker Tobias scored four goals to bring his tally for the competition to six.

Defending champions and hosts South Africa were by press time last night in action against joint Group A leaders Botswana in the battle for a place in the semi-finals with boths teams in six points fro their last two games.

The semi-finals will be played on Friday at Thulamahashe and the finals including the third and fourth place playoff will take place on Sunday at the same venue.

69 COMMENTS

  1. Sad i don’t know where we go wrong.We normally over confident after just wining one game or so.Look at the U-23s they were leading the group and they coach thought of leaving out certain players thinking the had already qualified.

  2. That is what we ve told you on this blog several times. We need an expertraite coach. There is nothing wrong enganging one since there is no Coach in Zambia for these types of competitions.

    England is also looking for an expertriate coach, but here you want to stick to local and all they deliver are dissapointing results always. See you at Ghana 2008

  3. Ultimate #2 .I for one have advocated for a good Expatriate Coach.If one is able to analyze all the teams at this tournament one might find that Zambia has the best team overall.But we might have lost it technically thats where most of our coaches lack.The coach must have known that any win 1-0 would have seen the team through.
    Like now our coaching stuff were supposed to have gotten latest Dvds or Video games of Sudan,Egypt and Cameroon.We need to plan for and sturdy our opponents, Cont

  4. rather than saying, ‘the are scared of us thats why the have recalled this player’.I haven’t heard any of one going to watch some friendly games that our opponents have played so far.I know this requires money for P.P or someone to travel but if we need to do well in Ghana we need to put in money.Govt now is telling Faz that the team can’t camp in Europe cos it’s too cold now.But i have seen that some of the ‘big’ teams in Africa will camp in Europe.Benin will camp in Brazil.

  5. Although our boys lost, there is a lesson to be learnt from the loss. We shouldnt take opponents for granted. Just because we ve been to the U-20 WC doesnt guarrantte us a walk over our minnow opponents. Lets take the positive out of this. The same applies to U-23 and senior team.

  6. CAN squad unveiled
    By VINCENT ZULU

    ZAMBIA national soccer team coach has rounded up 17 foreign based players in a provisional 28 member squad which also includes six junior internationals for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations championship in Ghana.
    Releasing the provisional list in Lusaka yesterday, the Chipolopolo trainer said the team which would be further trimmed to 22, would go into camp as soon as the necessary logistics were worked out by FAZ.
    The entire foreign based cast which

  7. The full squad:
    Goalkeepers:Kennedy Mweene, Kalilo Kakonje, Mike Poto
    Defenders:Moses Sichone, Elijah Tana, Clive Hachilensa, Billy Mwanza, Joseph Musonda,Chintu Kampamba, Willy Chinyama, Kennedy Nketani,Rodgers Kamwandi
    Midfielders:Isaac Chansa, Andrew Sinkala,Ian Bakala, Felix Katongo, Clifford Mulenga, William Njovu,Kennedy Mudenda, Francis Kasonde
    Strikers:Chris Katongo,Collins Mbesuma, Jacob Mulenga,Adubelo Phiri,Emmanuel Mayuka, Felix Sunzu,Ignatius Luipa

  8. RN #9.I have noticed that the 27 players on this list i bet the 28th player must be R.Kalaba cos the supposed to be 28 players.This is a good team selected by P.Phiri and his assistants.Though we all would wanted certain players to be included in the team.I salute the coach for including players like
    W.Chinyama,
    W.Njovu,
    F.Kasonde,
    E.Mayuka
    F.Sunzu
    C.Mulenga and for bringing M.Sichone back.Given a chance to change things i would bring in R.Kolala for F.Katongo and J.Chamanga for A.Phiri i, Cont

  9. In my opinion, the team is OK because these are the best players we have at the moment. Let them start training together and I hope all the players will be available for friendlies before travelling to Ghana.

  10. feel F.Katongo $ A.Phiri have failed to make a mark given the opportunities the have had in the past with the team.Though i will support the team selected by the coach.I feel these are the best crop of players we have currently in Zambia and the will make us proud.As we get closer to Ghana the team will need all our support.
    Go Chipolopolo!

  11. i agree wit number twelve, kola would be better than felix katongo since the young lad can atleast score goals but perhaps let us consider the fact that we need big heart for players like rigorbert song and the like.Good t see sichone ,tana, billy in defence, i think if the squad trained together and the final selection is on merit, we could cause upsets.Rainford must not be left though tiny in stature the boy is good.

  12. An expat coach is needed. This so embarassing. how can we be ejected int the first round with all that talent. We need an expat coach to improve the technical aspect of our game. These zambian coaches are poor. Under pressure they dont know what to do.

  13. Guys without an expat coach i see us losing to Sudan. We really need one. I’m fed up of disappoinments. Personally if we fail to make it past the first round the entire FAZ must shoulder the blame.

  14. This looks like a good squad. Players should be called in NOW for them to be together for the remaining weeks before Ghana 2008. We should play three or four high quality friendlies. I see no reason why we cannot go into the second round. The only heartache is the Indomitable Lions. Egypt despite being defending champions as of now are not a threat with a good squad we have. We cannot underate Sudan, but they are beatable.

  15. Faz needs money for camping the team and wining bonuses, the are looking to Govt.The guys will be highly motivated if they are given good money.South Africa players have been promised R500,000($78,000)each if the win the cup.

  16. Please people avoid discussing “incentives”-money-kwacha.Can’t people play such games just for joy for us all!? Lets concentrate on supporting Ba Billy SA, with his powerfull squared he has disclosed to us. Everyone knows that if Kalaba won’t be included life will be hard for the coaching staff, they will not handle the public & media!! If its the matter of number, then F.Sunzu or K.Mudenda can wait for World Cup. This will be tough, because the team we are gossiping about is GOOD bayama!!

  17. Kalaba should be in this team. The boy is versatile and has experience playing with most of the guys in the senior team. I agree with Wibilima # 21 K. Mudenda is an unknown entity at national team level. Coaches should start showing confidence in Kalaba’s abilities. He is our future soccer star, let us give him the exposure. How do you leave a player who is topping the charts in your country and influential in helping his club win the league title? Kalaba’s current form can cause havoc in Ghana.

  18. Fwayo Tembo and Given Singulume are the other attacking options Phiri should consider. Fwayo particularly was not at his best at the U20 World cup but he did enough at the Africa Youth Championships that caught the eyes of Real Madrid. The boy at his best can be a new revelation to the senior team, Phiri should have seriously taken a look at this boy. If you mean picking the best we have in Zambia, I think these two boys belong to that category.

  19. The emphasis should now be on playing well, that means no big errors in defense, inhibiting the opposition to play their game, i repeat no lapses in concentration from the first whistle to the full 95 minutes, converting attempts on goal… i don’t care if we win or loose, as long as we can do this to the best of our ability, i will happy and proud. we must go in there with the mentality to beat every single team.

  20. I agree that Kalaba is a talent. Though I must admit I have not seen him play for a long time because of my location. I do remember at the cosafa youth champioship a few yrs ago ,which I had the pleasure of watching, that he is exceptional. However, dont you think his size is a problem? I think he’s too small. Kalaba has being in Europe several times but why isn’t he playing there? We must consider the fact that our midfield is too short. Egypt play an aerial game so do cameroon.

  21. Playing cliff mulenga and kalaba at the same time in my opinion is not safe. Football is very technical. It is not just about speed and running with the ball. African teams fail to beat European teams 8/10 times because they do not know how to play an aerial game. Football is about tactics my brothers. Cameroon have very huge players. If they decide to play aerial balls we will have a problem. Geremi is a particularly good crosser of the ball.

  22. I think the team is strong but dont be overconfident.Ahmed Hassan and Abou Trekka are also good crossers should Egypt decide to play aerial balls to Zidan from Weder Bremen or Emad Moteb we may have problems. Mido from tottenham may not be fit but let us consider the technical issues and not force names on the coach my brothers. With hard work we can qualify but we need to be carfull and avoid overconfidence.

  23. Kalaba & Tembo are certainly two names that deserve more consideration. we play collective team football, it’s what we do best(a coaches dream), our line up is small, and those are maybe reasons why so few of our players are picked up by scouts. it should not matter to us though, money incentives, better preparations, bigger players. we stick to what we do best and we do it even better, this is team game. i’m looking to see more composure this time, we must come of age.

  24. I agree with # 27.Let us not be overconfident. We have nothing to be overconfident about. We’ve been booted out in the first round so many times. Egypt is a very strong team. Zidan from Weder in Germany is a new striking sensasation. For me Egypt are the strongest in the group. We really need to work hard.

  25. #28 you raise very good points.I beg to differ with Jo #26. The average height of most Zambians is about 5-8″ meaning Zambians are generally small in stature thus we have a mixed pool. By the way, Zambia had the smallest players at the U20 in Canada but they beat Uruguay a team that had tall players. So let us not look at stature as a weakness. You and I know that twalikwata fi game. Like #28 puts it, lets do better what we know how to do best and nga mwa bika bola panshi, ba Zambia chipolopolo

  26. After a gruelling trials period during which FAZ conducted two camps, in the copperbelt and midlands, they have finally come up with the final team for Ghana. Problem is, it’s the same team they usually feature. Who were they trying to fool after all????

  27. Namibia it is heard that are engaging a Dutch coach for their national side whom the say is going to be working with Ben.What is up with the national side preparations?

  28. faz has managed to clinch a freindly with morrococ to be played in casablanca or rabat to add to the one with tunisia.There is talk that the squad will play a provicial select side in spain.This seems good but we need cohesion and team work.no football politics at the last minutes coz times and again this cheep politics have costed us alot.

  29. Guys Kalaba is actually in the Team that was announced by P.Phiri.(Weeekly Post 6/12/07)He may be small but hes talented and hes played with guys bigger than him before but hes still done better than the big guys.Look at Lionel Messi how tall is he, yet the boy is ‘killing’guys twice his size on the football pitch.I see Kalaba ,Mulenga and other young guys coming off the bench.Good luck to the team.

  30. I foresee a Ghana vs Zambia final on condition that we dont meet Ghana in the quarter or semi-finals. I believe in miracles and anything is possible. Go Chipolopolo Go. Ichimwela guys ichimwela.

  31. Uhm guys like #37 are very rare to find. I admire the confidence. Its possible anyway especially with news coming that Morocco, Tunisia and Spain will play our boys. I hope this is not just mere talk.

  32. Haha, #37 stop tickling me, talk about the final if we successfully dispatch Cameroon, Egypt and Sudan in the group stage then I might start to think that there is some grain of truth in what you are saying. By the end of the group stage usually you can tell which team as the quality and depth to go to the finals. With Zambia, I take no chances to disappoint myself. If they lose, i expect it to happen and when they win I’m happy but then they have to play a game decider which I know they’ll lose

  33. Can you confidently say that when we play Cameroon, Egypt and Sudan Zambia will win just like you would confidently predict the winner in a game between Brazil and England or Nigeria and Sudan? If you can’t answer that question then you know that we have a tough path to the finals. I would need the sort of comfort Nigeria or Brazil gives going in a tournament to say something like what you said. Why? Because 9 out of 10 times you’d be right to bet on Nigeria or Brazil. Let’s compete favorably

  34. Sibs#36 According to the Times of Zambia line up, Kalaba is not included, so now I do not know the truth. Any way Phiri has named the squad its now up to FAZ to organise friendly games as soon as possible.
    Its is good to see Tana back and I hope he wiil give the technical team hints about the Sudanese. Number 37 is a reflection of a true soccer fan. Lets emulate him and support the guys. After all we have reached the finals before when least expected.

  35. Faz is like a guy that disguises himself wearing a big Lion suit and tries to scare the real Lion, you get eaten and the curbs play with the bones. Faz is good at hyping fans and making false promises that amount to nothing but comes back and smacks them right in their faces. I may sound like the greatest pessimist, but I’m safe to believe them when it actually happens. Just watch the chaos that is about to unfold with the preparations.

  36. The malaise at youth level is a crucial yardstick to the status of soccer in our country. Considerable soul searching is needed.

  37. There shud come a time when we just stop talking in Zambia and just act, and when we talk it shud be compliment by implementation. We have spoken a lot. Especially faz and Govt. I read in one of the newspapers where sports minister Namulambe was saying our team should bring Africa Cup next year. How can you bring the Africa cup without investment and proper preparation. You cant reap where u did not sow. Too much talking and less action is meaningless. Not only in football but all aspects

  38. RN#36. Its true in the Times of Zambia article Kalaba was not there,though the Times had only 27 names of the 28 players named by Phiri.The Post has 28 names that includes Kalaba.RN its true we have reached the final before when no one gave us a chance especially 1994.Who would have thought before June 2004 that Greece would reach the European cup final and go on to win it.Thats football anything is possible.
    Once we qualify to the Quarter Finals we can go all the way to the final and Win it.

  39. Imwe, Ma Fella, Ine, i’m really worried about our boys come january. A coach does make a difference. I am proud of our local coaches and the efforts they have made to carry us through difficult times, even the patriotism they show, though underpaid and over-worked.But we need someone that can make us win! not just participate.But i am also a realist, we seem to lack the financial capacity to rope in a big-name coach. We cant even offer our team a decent winning bonus for crying-out-loud!

  40. Elo to make matters worse, we have ZNBC still passing a hat around for money to televise games.Zambia is by no means a poor country. I think the priority given to national team sports is just deplorable.The government has to dip into their pockets and give FAZ a decent budget,especially after having qualified.There is no excuse why those funds cannot be made available to find us an experienced coach.But my hat of to coach phiri and george lwandamina.they do try.

  41. guys, i last saw Kalaba in action at the last ACN in
    Egypt,the boy is just too small..that’s why he can’t play
    in the SA league or europe..we played well in 1994 coz
    we had big playes like malitoli or Elijah litana …Kalaba is small period.

  42. kalaba is in the team, I think it was just an omission on the part of these not serious reporters. Stature to me is nothing, remember the under 20 at Africa youth championship where zambia gave cameroun with its under 30 players a good lesson.

  43. #50 my brother stature is very important. I am not saying the entire team should be tall but lets face the fact U-20 is youth football. Besides Zambia U-20 has never been to a final of a major tournament. Look at how the tall Nigerian’s dominated us when we played them in Canada.All the big teams in the world have tall defenders. Look at the best goalkeepers in the world. Buffon from Italy and Petr Cech from the czech republic are 6 feet plus. This is a tough tournament and needs men with size

  44. if u watch and understand modern football, it’s all about strengh and skill…kalaba is used to zed league, he can’t play against the lions.. if hes good enough he could have been somewhere else not at zesco..the boy is small pls… Mbesuma doesn’t play for his club not even on bench and u don’t expect him to tick for zed…we are in trouble

  45. Kafula my bro,Mbesuma won’t be the only one playing be optimistic my man.Football is not about names,if it was so Brazil would have been wining all the World Cups.I believe team work plays a big role in any team.You can have all the stars in one team but if the don’t gel then the can’t win games.Look at the S.African team that was beaten 3-1 by Zambia the had players from big clubs but the were humbled by Zambian team with no big names.Look at the English team beaten 3-2 at home Croatia how

  46. Contd #54. they were made to look ordinary,how many big names were in the Croatian team? Maybe the only guy who you can say plays for a ‘big club’ is Niko Kranjcar from Portsmouth the rest are just ordinary players.

  47. Correction: Zidan plays for Hamburg SV now but had earlier played for Weder Bremen. He is usually on the bench

  48. #54 Croatia are a strong team playing Eastern European soccer as for England even Zambia can beat them. The English game is about business. They play kick and rush and on full drive thu. out the 90 minutes, one would think they were not human, a French player has just complained he says palying in England is a problem cause even at training it is the same, he says it is like players switch their brains and only use their instincts, one is so tired after training that you can hardly walk. crazy

  49. #54 You’re very wrong my brother. Croatia is a powerhouse. They are not ordinary. Eduardo da Silva at Arsenal is rated as one of the best finishers in the world.Luka Mordric looks set to join chelsea for 20 millilon pounds. They are just as good as Brazil or Argentina. It must not be a surprise when they beat teams like England.

  50. As for our team at AFCON, we have to be realistic. Winning AFCON as Numalambe says is impossible. We should look at the players we have and ask ourselvs a simple question. Is this team we have better than the team of 1972 and 1994? If the answer is yes then we have a chance, if their doubts then our chances diminish, if the answer is no then we have no chance. Remember only on team will win out of the 16. The best will be to wait until the friendly games that is when we can deduce our strength

  51. By the way why is Edwin Phiri not in the team?? As for Kalaba he stars locally but I thing he is too small & thin. He was here in Denmark, Silkeborg with Eagle Stars, I can say he is talented but his size is a big problem. Short and thin. Johnstone “Commandor” was short but huge the other way, this goes for Clifford Mulenga, he could not tick in Sweden cause he is just too short. Look at Chris Katonga he is short too but has the physic to match up with the tall and huge, that is why he manages.

  52. looking at our teams of the past we had short players like the late Dick Chama, Kaiser Kalambo, Benard “Tools” Mutale, Milton Muke etc, they were all short in size but they huge bodies, and we still managed to clobber the best in Africa.

  53. I couldnt agree with 60. more. Modern football requires not only brute strength in defense but height as well in both defense and with the forwards. The most prolific strikers to have come out of africa in the modern day era have been well over sixfeet tall.Rainford is unfortunately a minor league player at best. We have a higher chance if we use stronger players like we did with the likes of abena Bubble and Mordon etc. Even Mbesuma with his width has found it difficult inside the box.

  54. Guys,can anyone advise where i can get photo-files and perhaps videos of zambia’s past soccer heroes. I am working on something at the moment to honor the people, and i cant seem to source the material.

  55. #64, look on youtube and the cosafa website. there is some stuff there. to everyone talking about match ups here, i say. most teams, even smaller african countries have successful europian based players now, it is no secret we have been surpassed. there is still a way to get the better of these teams, it is if we can turn up and be better organized, hungrier, focused. crotia won because they didn’t have the pressure and their psychology ready even when england came back. good players are small.

  56. we are pure fighters and that is why we are still respected, but the Zambian side of the future will have to use better tactical psychology to win the day.

  57. Guys what i meant is that Croatian players are ‘ordinary’ cos the haven’t had the opportunity to play for big teams like their English counterparts.I actually have a lot of respect for Eastern European soccer and i have been a great admirer of teams like Croatia,Czech Rep,Russia and the Romanian team of the 90’s.I meant to say these teams are not given respect cos the from the east.It’s like Zambian players compared to S.Africa,the guys from S.A have had opportunities compared to our players.

  58. sucker, hagi, kalusha, those are super players. look at the teams that won though, look how the italians won 4 world cups, it’s team effort and with the italians it’s all about their mentality, their psychology when playing big teams/competitions. it gives them an edge the croatians have that aswell. you can’t bet on them, and you can’t bet against them. i am not saying we should try and be be something we are not and just end up having a bad attitude, we should somehow find our own presence.

  59. Pphiri must be sucked for the heavy defeat vs cameroon he did not even stand up to give instruction and for dropping tana

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