Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic has a fairly good initial idea of what he has on the home-front after his All-Stars team lost 1-0 on Wednesday to The-Rest side at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
The All-Stars versus The-Rest match was the first of two friendlies for his domestic call-ups with the final leg set for March 16 at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Asanovic’s All-Stars were given a good run by Dabid Chilufya and Boyd Mulwanda’s The Rest side with very little to separate the two sides.
The-Rest almost took the lead in the 14th minute but Zesco United striker Enock Sakala Jnrs’s header was kept out Red Arrows goalkeeper Charles Kalumba.
Spotlight was also on in-form Kafue Celtic striker Albert Kangwanda who was policed for most of the first half he was on the pitch.
But Kangwanda did have two great chances from two free kicks in the 39th and 44th minutes kept out by Zesco number two goalkeeper Gregory Sanjase.
The deadlock was broken in the 61st minute when Indeni defender Moses Soko headed-in impressive Kansanshi Dynamos winger Rogers Lukonde’s cross.
Asanovic’s side patch together some flowing football in the second half but had little to show for it in attack.
But his boys had a good chance in stoppage time that Power Dynamos goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga denied Derrick Bulaya from close-range.
Chipolopolo break camp and regroup in Lusaka this Sunday after the two 2022 ABSA Cup quarterfinal doubleheader matches at Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe.
