Zambia overcame a plucky Uganda to win 3-1 and go top of Group B to make a bright start at the 2018 CHAN tournament in Marrakech, Morocco on Sunday.
Chipolopolo shot to the top of Group B on 3 points, tied with Namibia but have a better goal difference over the latter who defeated Cote d’ Ivoire 1-0 in the early kickoff at the same venue.
Uganda are bottom while Cote d’Ivoire are 3rd, both on zero points.
Goals from Lazarus Kambole, Augustine Mulenga and an own goal from Uganda goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan saw Zambia maintain their CHAN tradition of winning their opening tournament games.
It was Zambia’s biggest opening day CHAN victory since their 3-0 win in 2009 over then hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
But it was Uganda who started brightly on Sunday night and Zambia had goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata to thank when he denied Taddeo Lwanga in the 2nd minute.
Then, Lwanga and the impressive Milton Karisa continued torment Zambia throughout the first half.
But Chipolopolo got some respite in the 38th minute when Kambole fired in his debut Zambia goal off an assist from Ernest Mbewe.
Zambia’s celebrations were cut short two minutes later when Derrick Nsibambi’s cheeky scissors kick beat Nsabata after some good work from Karisa.
The tables changed after the break as Zambia’s application overcome Uganda’s flare when they found the back of the net twice after the hour mark.
Mulenga punished Uganda’s poor defending in the 62nd minute when he was at the end of a Kambole ball.
Fackson Kapumbu then saw his 71st minute free kick take an awkward deflection off Lwanga before Ochan dumped the on-coming looping ball across the line as he battled to deal with the situation.
Zambia now turn their gun-sights on Cote d’Ivoire on January 18 in their penultimate Group B match in Marrakech in a game they must win to qualify to the quarterfinals with a match to spare.
Well done boys, great start
Most impressive players were Ngonga and Ziyo. If Ziyo’s limp persist then… Kondwani should drop ku central defense.
Kondwani is playing like a common, he used to be my man always…. But today, those Bagandas were all-over place.
The combination of Ndonashano and Kondwani in midfield is suspect, I hope the coach can see this. They are both defensive midfielders it is better to use one or the other but not both.
I just hope the continue winning before PF put a curse on the boys.
Exactly the opposite. It is in PF that the boys have found their flair. It is in PF that we have made major achievements in football including the lifting of this same cup in 2012 for the first time. Is your hatred for PF clogging your memory?
These upnd fellows are destroying this country, what can we do to rescue it?
Player of the season Augustine Mulenga didn’t come to the party. Zambia overcame Uganda without even shifting in the last gear.
It’s football time and not politics.
Congrats lads! Keep up the winning spirit through and through.
Ngonga is my man…
Why are people talking about Alex Ngonga? He his the weakest link in the team. The bastard could not even finish the first game late alone as a top man score a goal. This love between Wada and Ngonga is going to end badly. Ngonga could not last the remaining of the game because there is nowhere to buy and smoke weed in Morocco. He will come back without a goal.
Ngonga needs 7 chances to score 1 goal. Inefficient and wasteful.
Ngonga is schizophrenic, it is better to leave him out he can cause disaster.
I think on the run of play Ngonga was awsome.
Something to smile about.
thank you lads for putting a smile on Zambians.
ngonga needs time…………. as much as we keep talking ill about him ……… he ll be panicking ……………….. anyway good game guys….. congrats
Go Zambia go
good for cosafa region. cograts zambia and namibia
The CHIPOLOPOLO team tested POSITIVE for CHOLERA before and after the Game as u observed the Healthy and Clean UGANDA CRANES were avoiding CONTACT with FILTHY Chipolopolo, Ivory coast has lodged a complaint to CAF to suspend zambia due to Cholera, I guess they are right as ALEX NGONGA and ZIYO in slow motion can see that their areas in the field had tumatuvi twa yellow yellow so
Thanx FAZ for bringing back our true copper jersey colour. Please do the same with the stockens. That isnt copper.
Uganda still has a chance….i almost thought they were playing 12 men…….
AWE PIPO THATS WHY FOOTBALL DOES NOT IMPROVE, OR THAT WHY WE FAIL TO IDENTIFY PLAYERS WITH PROPER TALENT, NGONGA HE THE WEAKEST, WE DO NEED PLAYERS LIKE HE IN THE TEAM, HE ONLY WASTE TIME AND CHANCES, THE WADA AND NGONGA I THINK THEY HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON, HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO PLAYER
U sound like someone who has some unfinished business with the Ministry of Education.
WE DONT NEED PLAYERS LIKE NGONGA IN THE TEAM
What is CHAN?
its a specie of green grass grown on African football turfs.
As as we hav Ngonga playing then don’t expect goals he is a finished material. Look at his track record at club level hw many goals has he scored or created last season. Is he the best striker we locally have at present? The answer is NO. The inclusion of him in the national team can best be explained by wada who has so much interest in him even when he is non performing. Is faz blind or they hv uncoverd interest togetha wth wada!!!!
Nilesafye otherwise ……..