Wedson Nyirenda has schooled Zambia in the art of Catenaccio after finishing 1-1 with a very fortunate Cameroon away in Limbe to put their 2018 FIFA World Cup Group B qualifying campaign back on the road lifting them from bottom to third on the log.
The draw came a month after Nyirenda and Zambia’s relationship began with a 2-1 home loss to Nigeria in their opening Group B match in Ndola on October 9.
Meanwhile, Nyirenda started with tight backline that was complemented by a stout midfield in front of that defence manned by Misheck Chaila and Kondwani Mtonga in the absence of injured mainstay Nathan Sinkala.
Collins Mbesuma put Zambia ahead against the run of play in the 33rd minute off a Rainford Kalaba threaded pass from a well-worked set-piece.
The match also marked Zanaco’s defender Ziyo Tembo international debut and he didn’t disappoint while his club mate Fackson Kapumbu was outstanding at leftback.
However, Kapumbu’s day was spoilt with a dubious ball to hand in the 45th minute that referee referee Malang Diedhiou of Senegal adjudged to be a handball.
Striker Vincent Aboubakar stepped up to take the resultant penalty to send Kennedy Mweene the wrong way.
Mtonga then had a great opportunity in the 59th minute to put Zambia ahead again but the Zesco United midfielder’s’ volley was parried by Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa.
Zambia then defended resolutely with an injured Kennedy Mweene struggling after the 66th minute groin injury en route to picking up a vital one point on the road and see Nyirenda stay unbeaten for a second straight match.
Chipolopolo, on one point, will now face bottom placed Algeria at home next August.
Second Cameroon have two points and travel to leaders Nigeria who beat Algeria 3-1 at home in the late kickoff.
Go Zambia, Go Zambia’ Go
What….? Next August? Then this up coming team will be gone by then.
Away game.. good results .. I hope your next match will be a win
Cameroon were there for the taking. Literally lying down to be slaughtered. But Zambia missed the services of our best performer in the 2-1 loss to Nigeria, Fwayo Tembo. I wonder what the reason was. With his pace, we should have kept them panicking, leaving Mbesuma free to finish off moves.
The national team just keeps getting worse and worse like the zambian economy under pf government. More load shedding, more poverty that is life bane. Meanwhile trump will not be drawing his presidential salary as the business man does not see any point of it. HH said the same. Zambia has really made a mistake by allowing lungu to steal the vote. Let us wake up because leaders like HH come once in a lifetime bane
lol …………………heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheeheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
The problem is that you dont have a tv. zambia played very well and to hell with your good leader. You mean you cant even afford a simple GOtv you 1d10t
chi shooters you are still alive. iwe if they played very well, why didnt they win? It is this pf mentality of thinking drawing is acceptable. We play to win.
@NEZ uli saaka sana iwe. What has Lungu or PF to do with this issue at hand? Wabe lyobe !!!
The topic is soccer and not what you are trying to sneak in. This is what I would call obsession and idolism. There is life at the other side. Narrow mindedness reduces great thinkers to puppets more especially political cadres.
Football?
Take politics elsewhere this is football only not politics! Do you think a human being is a proper leader? Humans do not have the ability to lead others period! Jeremiah 10:23 and Psalm 146:3. You were meant to lead your household only and animals that is the work God gave man. The introduction of politics is the devils making claiming that humans are better without Gods intervention, what have you seen over the years? Any better life whether here in Africa or Europe or Western world? Who does not die right now? Championing human rulership, I know everyone here is a Bible reader, is like a tick that goes to bite the animal back or skin which is dying. Daniel 2:44 if you read these scriptures, look to God for your future not in nobles, you could be siding on who is the best leader-God…
kabiye uko iwe. There is better life in hundred of countries compared to zambia. That is why we say religion and politics do not mix due to this type of thinking. So if prayer and looking to god was the solution why has zambia a so called chrisitan nation become a heaven on earth? Please do not mislead us with that lazy craap. You so called religions chaps always use god as scapegoat for your failures.
@jairos the supporters were showing a poster written HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT LUNGU. Is that not taking politics to the stadium. Who paid for their air tickets? Give us a break. You take politics everywhere and when you are challenged you cry foul. The commentators even made fun of it, if you understood their language. You cadres are always embarrassing the country. Imagine Serena Williams walking onto the center court at Wimbledon carrying a placard written HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT BARRACK OBAMA.
I know telling you the right thing is an annoyance! But you like it or not you too are religious in some sort whether politics is your religion or something else is. Your belly or anything that occupies first fields in your mind and is the center of your activities that is religion. Its easy to be upset when you are corrected but it yields better results when you sit down and sift out some sense in what people tell you otherwise you will always be wanting. God cannot be used as scapegoat for failure, in fact, God even tell his workers to work hard at any work as to him- whatever endeavors you do as if you are doing it for God including education etc. The writer is no failure! No where you are at any given time- sense right?
Zambia better than the previous game. However, for the sake of our friends in UPND who are still living in denial, whether die hard member or not, ECL is President of Zambia until 2021 period. So the sooner u realise that the better for yourselves instead of going to extents of even failing to distinguish between soccer and politics. Shame on your shallow understanding of issues. That’s why bembas say “ichalo ubusuma tukashila ba UPND ba mumbwe”
ThanK U mbesuma and Ur friends. Am surgestin some pipo must not Be goiNg to th stadium weN playing at home they sesm to have bad Mashamo boys played so welll pliz thoese who kNow themslf to hav bad mashahamo stay awy tHanks:
Lets knw how to differentiate politics,frm games.. Go zambia go, keep it up.
Comment: Where was Fwayo? include Mayuka in the next game.
Comment: Good Game Chipolopolo. We must ensure that we beat Algeria wen they come here so that they remain bottom of the group.
Some people are too childish when its football they see politics shame on you! I liked the combination of ziyo and sunzu it was really a hard nut too crack by the lioness, mweene was so outstanding. Go zambia go
Yes! this has bin introduced by the Pf. to them everything is politics. wen it started raining last year they made a meal out of it saying it was because of ecl’s prayer and fasting held on Oct 18th. so others are just following suit.
We are missing The Post. PF and Lungu ensured HH does’nt win aug polls by closing independent media. The Post was a going concern entity. Where is Chishimba Kambwili who worked so hard in hîs hatred campaing? Time will tell.
Dundumwezi arise i conquer with you very much football is football,guys avoid political confrontation or this is not political arena.show so senses in you.well done chipolopolo guys
It was a great game and that ref so once the young man had tackled how was he suppose to place his hands away from his body or what it was ball to hand…in the RSA game it was worse the Senegalese defender didn’t even hand the ball it hit his knees penalty!!!! Wow and one wonders if cash didn’t change hands….but well done yes Fwayo would have been needed and then am not sure we played chisamba lungu in a good position I am not the coach but him feeding off Besuma would help…..
I would like to give advice to coach .there in one player .I don’t know his name but I think plays at number 4. His header clearance is as a defender is very poor .He did to the Eagles and same mistake to the Lions .He puts his header clearance on his on area allowing the opportunity. For the enemies to score so easily so rectify that Mr coach to maintain the good record.
I don’t know how you’ve been schooled in journalism if you will call the one point picked up vital. Vital when Nigeria raised theirs to six? It s only one team that qualifies in each group
That’s what I mean gentlemen, politics has its on sphere and football is on the other so discuss politics elsewhere not on the football sphere period. I do not put down those who want to vent there frustration on politics, its there choice but bringing it on the platform who’s readers are not interested its like giving meat to a man who doesn’t have teeth.
Don’t loose hope guys, even Nigeria can drop points along the way..This is football it can be cruel sometimes.