Chipolopolo coach Aljosa Asanovic says his team could have done better in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly defeat to the Copperbelt Select at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe.
The match came at the end of Asanovic’s first Chipolopolo training camp since his appointment in January that was held in Ndola with his home-based players.
“I didn’t see the energy, without energy how do you make a good training game? I told my boys before the start of the game if you are not 100 percent and if you are not concentrating on the duels on the balls, the opponents will punish you,” Asanovic said.
The Copperbelt Select enjoyed an upper-hand for most of the match and scored in the 61st minute through Indeni defender Moses Soko.
But Chipolopolo were denied an equalizer in stoppage time from their best chance in the second half when Derrick Bulaya’s header was kept out by goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga.
“It is normal. We knew that the Copperbelt Select wanted to show their power and quality because they were playing the national team of Zambia. It is a normal reaction and it is very good and I am very happy with the reaction from the Copperbelt Select,” Asanovic said.
But Asanovic refused to state which players impressed him in the match.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo will play their final friendly on March 16 against the Midlands Select side at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
As long as most of our current players in our super league and national team are to ma yo ballies from Lusaka and copperbelt, we are not going anywhere. Most of the strong, tough tested and naturally talented footballers are in rural areas
Know your soccer. That was not a friendly. It is not recognized by FIFA but by only FAZ. It is a training match.
There’s nothing called “Friendly” in FIFA regulations
The mental (“educated”) aspect of our players also needs improving. For a long time we have depended on the school dropout kind of players.
All the best chipolopolo