Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic insists their 2021 AFCON dream is not over.
Zambia lost 1-0 away to Botswana on Monday night in Francistown to return to the bottom of Group H on 3 points with one win and three defeats in hand with two games left and facing the prospect of a third successive AFCON absence.
“We are not giving up, we are not retreating, we are not surrendering in order to qualify for the AFCON,” Micho said.
But the Serbian was remorseful with the manner of the defeat after earlier beating Botswana 2-1 in the first leg on November 12 in Lusaka.
“We are a work in progress, we put in all our efforts, threw on all the attacking options that we had on the field that we had available and I am really shocked like all of us with the lack of concentration in the moment that we were supposed to turn the game in our favour. I deeply regret it and I am sorry,” Micho said.
Zambia are a point behind third placed Botswana, Zimbabwe are second on 5 points and leaders Algeria, who have qualified with two games to spare, have 10 points.
Algeria will visit Zambia during the 2021 March international break in a penultimate Group H game before Chipolopolo wrap-up the qualifiers away to Zimbabwe during that same break.
Economy, football all in ICU …awe sure.
We’ve becoming a losing and declining country in almost every aspect of life. That’s why there’s this saying that HOW YOU DO ANYTHING IS HOW YOU DO EVERYTHING!!!! Nothing is going right in Zambia. Shame!
I don’t believe this guy. Has he ever done this before ?
Economy crumbled, governance crumbled, sport crumbled
JUST BLAME ECL
This government has turned all games in the country into night Mares
It’s pf’s fault, how can you play on an empty belly.
I wish somebody could be so body as to just stop the whole participation, because even if Zambia miraculously qualified, can they beat Senegal, Egypt, Morocco or Cameroon if they can’t beat Botswana! Its a sheer waste of time and money! And what was the Minister of Sport, Emmanuel Mulenga doing in Botswana. May be the address he gave to the players negatively affected them psychologically, because the whole team failed to perform. These ministers should understand how to perform their duties, its like they are in these offices for leisure! No, please.
It is good that Micho is positive and has seen it all. Please Micho make sure our players are awake in the game to avoid conceding early and late goals. Keep on shouting their football names to keep them awake through out the game.
I am confident we will make it. We can not afford not to be their!
To the team, please know what you are there for; to play football and NOT TO RUN IT. It is not about hundred metres race. Remember to keep your balance all the time. It is one, two three pass. or three seconds pass. Always the right foot is for balance. try as much as possible to stop the ball with the left foot. This will help you to balance yourselves. I know you know all these.
Most of all play as a team and have systematic overlapping players. Do not overdo dribbling unless you…