Beston Chambeshi has admitted that the COSAFA Cup should be taken seriously and that it is no longer a developmental tournament.
Chambeshi’s home-based, make-shift team was humbled by record six-time winners Zimbabwe who beat them 4-2 in extra-time after a 2-2 draw in the final in South Africa played at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on June 9.
Chipolopolo struggled to beat Namibia in the quarterfinals that they eventually won 4-3 on post-match penalties after a scoreless draw against an opponent who had a strong team made up of their key foreign-based and 2018 CHAN players for the tournament
Zambia followed this up with a convincing 1-0 win over an ambitious Madagascar whom they failed to add at least five more goals in the semifinals before Zimbabwe showed them how it is done in the final.
“Now the COSAFA Cup is not a developmental tournament, the tournament has grown,” Chambeshi conceded.
“Now each and every team wants to win that tournament.
“Madagascar gave us a good run that knocked out the hosts South Africa (in the quarterfinals) and they were determined to reach the final.
“Zimbabwe had a strong squad with over five players from the South Africa PSL who are their pillars.”
Meanwhile, the COSAFA Cup was the end of Chambeshi’s mandate as stand-in coach after filling-in following the resignation of Wedson Nyirenda on May 24.
Bonse tatulebafwaya. Chambeshi can’t make a good national coach.
There goes fake buselic!The only time a coach is good is a team wins!In fact a coach is never praised when a team wins!Players are praised instead,what a shame. Look at the so called expatriate coaches’ performance we have seen,it’s the same as that of local coaches.Best one had a lot of praises showered on him when he won under 20 tournaments, today he is insulted.The so called football analysts have also contributed to deepening the morale of local coaches!Don’t forget that the teams we played against also want to win.No wonder they go to an extent of buying match officials.
Mwasumina, ba coach? When we urged you to assemble a formidable side to salvage our national pride you insisted on the so called developmental side.
I do not agree with Coach. COSAFA is still small tournament! Zimbabwe’s players came from a poor league just as the Zambian league. Namibia is even worse. Why was South Africa booted out to say list on their league? Coach is not to blame either, its imaturity, lack of will power to play to the final whistle.players could not even remind themselves what was at stake as time ticked away. They let down the coach. Drop all of them.
Let us choose serious countries to support at World cup tournie to easily forget about this ambarassment. Failing to overcome countries without presidents…oohoooshshh….! Lest you change abd tell us you were not fed…. All Zambian football players join us in Sittingrooms to watch world cup soccer. Do not advise us on how best Messi would have turned, remember, we would have been watching you……
Ikali iyo. Our footballers should not advice us. They did not perform when it was their time.
That’s true ba Chambeshi, COSAFA used to be serious until South Africa started featuring development sides. Zambia and other countries then followed suit. Zimbabwe warned other countries that they were going to feature a strong side but we went to the games like we were the defending champions
From next year let us see the real national team at COSAFA.