Shameful Kitwe fans turned against the Zambia Under-20 after the defending 2017 COSAFA U20 Cup champions and hosts 0-0 draw with Malawi on Friday night in their penultimate Group A match at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
The result left Zambia on the brink of a group stage elimination from the tournament it is hosting in Kitwe from December 6-16 on the Copperbelt.
Given little time and elevated from the Under-17 to the Under-20 job barely a month before the tournament kicked off, Mumamba Numba is feeling the pressure of delivering instant results at Under-20 level after his predecessors won the Cosafa U20 Cup in South Africa last December and U20 AFCON as hosts in March.
Furthermore, Zambia came into the match against Malawi bruised after they were humiliated 2-0 in their opening Group A match at the same venue by Uganda on December 6.
But Zambia were a improved side after the lessons of the Uganda defeat and curtailed an ambitious Malawi throughout the match from playing their fiery football that saw them beat Swaziland 3-2 last Wednesday.
Zambia even had the ball behind the net the in the 47th minute when Francisco Mwepu headed in Edward Chilufya cross.
But the disallowed goal for an offside that never was and did not win Zambia any sympathy from the crowd.
And as the last 20 minutes of the match approached, the Kitwe fans turned their backs on the host side and instead cheered every move Malawi made and booed Zambia when they touched the ball.
Fans even accused Numba of fielding players from his club Zanaco in his team when none were even in the starting XI or even on the bench.
The Kitwe fans also described Zambia as a Lusaka select side when the starting lineup has five players from Copperbelt sides Nkana, Nchanga Rangers, Konkola Blades, Gomes, and Chambishi Metals.
There was also a player each from Nchanga and Chambishi on the bench while Green Buffaloes had two, Red Arrows and Napsa Stars had one each from the other Super Division call-ups.
And not even the presence and contribution of U20 AFCON and 2016 COSAFA U20 Cup winner Edwardc Chilufya went recognised despite carrying the team’s burden throughout.
Meanwhile, Zambia now have a slim chance of making the best runners-up slots for the semi-finals when they face Swaziland on Monday in their final Group A match at Nkana stadium.
Zambia are bottom of Group A on 1 point and tied with 3rd placed Swaziland.
Malawi and Uganda have 4 points each and face each other on Monday for a place in the semifinals in a simultaneous kickoff at Arthur Davies.
Bwafya…kosa mune Numba
It’s now impossible for PF to win on copperbelt, its over.
We are losing because they included Tongas in the team.
To me, I encourage all Zambian to remain calm in football all is possible, let us not go away from our motto; One Zambia one nation; funs please let us accept the defeat not all days,week,months or years are the same or equal, sometimes you’re happy whole other time you’re unhappy but life goes on,its not our cup God is giving may be to others, that’s what south Africa felt. I love you all.
They were booing for a good reason, can’t blame them for being bitter!
Comment:Yes you have a point they can’t be watching a team performing badly at home with all the support, it’s unacceptable.
Am equally not pleased with these money wasters. I recommend for the removal of the coach and the technical bench. This is doing things the Mpondela way. I also suggest that when they loose, the allowances should also be lost.
Let Zambia report that disallowed goal to FIFA so that Zambia can qualify. It wasn’t an offside. lol
I watched the match with fear because it appears like Zambian football has not been defined in terms of short and long term plan. There a lot of individualism. Players selection was not done fairly. The former coach was proactiveand fair in selecting players that how we came up with players in the likes of Edward Chilifya from Kasama and many others. Beston’ s passion won the trophy it was not fluke. Mumamba must be removed from our dear under 20 team because it’s the source of our pride and happiness as Zambian and the reason of booing last night. It was a form of protest to remove him.
This is not time for experimenta Mr Mumamba; people want results now and that is why they are booing you. Why didn’t you just continue with the triumphant U20 the way it was? you wanted self gratification, but look at the results. Wake up and do the right thing before you get fired.
Look at the comment made by a tongabull “Nostradamus?”!!!!for upnd rats,everything is about politics.IF PF CANT WIN IN COPPERBELT,WHO CAN WIN THERE THEN?what has your HH done in copperbelt after losing on 11/08/2016 for him to overtake the popularity of PF there?ANYWAY DREAMING IS FREE!!!i just wonder why you keep on comforting yourselves in upnd but when results come,you say elections were rigged!!!COPPERBELT IS DOMINATED BY PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH&EAST WHO HAVE NEVER VOTED FOR YOUR HH IN MASSES SINCE 2006-BUT YOU STILL DREAM-AMAZING!!!
About under 20 football,i blame both FAZ and coach Numba.they could have gotten some players from the Beston Chambeshi under 20 team who made our soccer fans proud!!!THE FANS DID WELL BY BOOING THAT TEAM YESTERDAY!!NUMBA MUST BE FIRED TOO FOR LETTING…
Numba is right to use these boys coz the afcon winners a big guys they are not under 20 any more! let him build a team that will last atleast 2 or 3 yrs, not jst six months and every one is suddenly big! he has not used his third choice goalie Mangani Banda coz he knows the age of this boys as much as qualifying the group stage looks like a non starter
Kitwe fans don’t know how to cheer. All they know is hooliganism. That’s why when Nkana is playing a team from outside Kitwe, Power supporters will boo Nkana and vice versa.
About booing your own team, fya bupuba!
Ubututu aba ku Kitwe. Sickening behaviour from Who ever participated in the booing
Some of us we are blank. We rely on poor ZNBC for coverage. Now even TV 2 was his day discussing Liverpool and Everton why know idea on local football…kkkkk Its good that people are seeing how poor our leadership in football is. Who selected Numamba as Coach? Who allowed use of under 17? They ve 2 yrs to participate at that level. There are no 19 yrs or 20 yrs olds in Zambia now? You do not build a team when you do not even have a future. Go to tournaments to win not to build teams for future. You are wasting borrowed funds. The country is straggling to employ needed teachers and nurses and yet you spent on building a team….my foot!
So fans want FAZ to use 19 year olds who wont be eligable to defend U20 Afcon? Education standards have really dropped
Ubututu aba ku Kitwe. Sickening behaviour from Who ever participated in the booing