Friday, March 29, 2024

Hundreds of fans failed to enter Lusaka’s Woodlands Stadium despite having valid tickets, Stadium Full

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By BENEDICT TEMBO

Hundred of fans yesterday failed to enter Lusaka’s Woodlands Stadium as Forest Rangers today grabbed the 2023 Absa Cup after anhilating MUZA in the final.

Ticket carrying fans, including those carrying VVIP tickets including some journalists were hugely disappointed to find gates locked as there was no more space in the stadium.

Some angry fans chanted “Kamanga must go.” The final was initially scheduled for National Heroes Stadium last Saturday but was postponed to yesterday.

Forest banked K700,000 while MUZA drove back to Mazabuka with their now famous Rosa Bus with K350,000. Beaten twice in the MTN Super League this season, Forest got the sweetest revenge against MUZA.

In a match watched by President Hakainde Hichilema, Forest pressed high and gave no chance to MUZA. The foresters got an early reward for their hunger for goals when they got a goal in the 16th minute courtesy of an goal by defender Chanda Chileshe from a Dieugo Apanane cross.
There was miscommunication between goalkeeper Monga Ndala who had moved out of his area and Chileshe as the later intended to pass the ball but shot into an empty net.

Forest maintained their momentum and got the second goal through hard working midfielder Amanu Moro in the 51st minute.
VAR was put to the test for the first time in Zambia and probably in Southern Africa and Moro’s goal was annulled due to an infringement on a MUZA player earlier.

On the day MUZA looked a pale shadow of the team they have been this season, they got punished by Quadri Kola with the second goal on 63rd minute.

Kola’s goal all but sealed the famous victory for Forest to give them something to smile about in the 2022-2023 season which winds up next weekend.
In this final of firsts, the match was ably handled by Egyptian crew of Amin Omer who was at the centre while his compatriots Mahamoud Abouelregal and Ahmad Hossam Tata were the first and second assistants respectively.
Sam Guezzaz of Egypt and Ghanaian Daniel Nilayi Laryea were the video assistant referees.

Forest midfielder Shadreck Malambo, introduced in the 27th minute following the forced substition of Samuel Sikaonga made personal history by becoming the first players to win the Absa Cup with three different teams.
Malambo first won it with Red Arrows in 2013 and later with Nkana in 2018.
MUZA coach Lameck Banda who turned up in a three-piece suit said Forest won because theyvgot the much needed goals.
Banda said Forest were the better team of the day as they were technically superior.
His opposite number Ian Bakala said his players executed what they had planned.
“We talked about it. We said if it is not the league, then it is the cup,” Bakala said.
Despite having his goal overturned, Moro deservedly got the man-of-the-match prize and pocketed K150,000 for his efforts.
“For me, it is my second game playing against Muza, I beat them while with Lumwana Radiants,” Moro said
He said Forest will now push to play in the Champions League in 2024.
Forest vault guard Daniel Mutshinemu was voted the best goalkeepe of the tournament and got K25,000.
And forward MoyelaLubamba capped an eventful afternoon for the Mukula boys by bagging the top scorer of the tournament award.
Lubamba became K25,000 richer.

18 COMMENTS

  1. The continued stay of Ndanga Kamanga at Football House is proving to be detrimental to the wellbeing and development of football in Zambia. Most of the decisions he makes are wrong and mainly for his narrow interests. Nkoloma in a better venue and an alternative to Heroes Stadium. That should have been considered especially that the President was in attendance. When complained about how FAZ kept taking doubleheaders involving big teams like Nkana and GBFC to Edwin Imboela stadium we were accused of being Kalu’s bitter supporters. The truth is Imboela stadium doesn’t have facilities to host such a big game. One day we’ll know why Kamanga shuns Nkoloma. I urge councilors to do the correct thing and kick out Kamanga from FAZ

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    • So sad and disappointing for Kamanga.
      -pick up fight with minister.
      – appoint his cousin as his secretary General
      – and first thing his cousin named Kamanga does is to answer tickets theft.
      And ACC is waiting for state house instructions?

    • Ayatollah – Leave Kamanga out of this nonsense…Go to Great Galu and get your commision before he jets off to RSA to give his muzungu wife all the takings!!

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    • @ Tarino stroke Jay Jay stop bringing Kalu in your Kalu-Kamanga dramatics. You Kalu-haters have by now realised that Zambian soccer cant progress without him. Its nearly a decade since he left and Chipolopolo have been wandring headlessly without any type of success. Zambian soccer is deep in the sewer and all losers are very happy

  2. We had too many events within a short time. ABSA cup, Koffi, Yo maps and all these required use of stadiums. I wonder how many police cases and road accidents we have.

  3. Poor planning and poor security under upnd. And then some monkey will go out there with graphs and declare that we are in champions league. F00Iish self praising liar

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  4. I would personally like to thank the patriotic disciplinarians who beat up that big buttocks childish vlogger with fake accent called Simon mwewa. You have done well to teach him a lesson for terrorising innocent public bystanders with his fake accent which never goes away decades after he returned to zambia after being deported. Next follow him to Simonson and whip him inside his ugly building

  5. I would personally like to thank the patriotic disciplinarians who beat up that big butt0cks childish vlogger with fayke (sic) accent called Simon mwewa. You have done well to teach him a lesson for terrorising innocent public bystanders with his fayke(sic) accent which never goes away decades after he returned to zambia after being deported. Next follow him to Simonson and whip him inside his ugly building

  6. So Kamanga single handedly organized the ABSA cup……This Kamanga hatred wont take us anywhere.
    Ati “Kamanga must go”
    Remember, the FAZ president is voted by Councillors and not football fans.
    The FAZ elective conference has changed to be in line with FIFA requirements. The FAZ elective body is bigger and even includes elected officials from the provinces. The huge influence that football clubs based on the copperbelt or in lusaka had during the Kalusha and Teddy Mulonga era has significantly diminished.
    Keep the toxic Zambian politics away from football.

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  7. How can you hold a cup final at Woodlands with a 7000 capacity….I remember how we used to sneak into that stadium into the open wing from the Woodland ext side as boys. We would help the sweet sellers in on condition he gave us a cut at least three packets of peppermint sweets.

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  8. “Hundred of fans yesterday failed to enter Lusaka’s Woodlands Stadium as Forest Rangers today grabbed the 2023 Absa Cup”
    This two day long game was it approved by FIFA?
    Ba LT why dont you leave this communication business to the experts? You always seem to be so lost about how to disseminate news! Most members of primary school chongololo clubs would do better at LT.

  9. This is a blemish on FAZ. Surely the capacity of woodlands stadium is known so the tickets printed must be equal to the number of seats available so where did all those extra tickets come from?

    • Can FAZ organise anything? They can only organise nepotism since Kamanga has appointed another Kamanga to the feeding pot. Out of 20 million fans only another Kamanga can be FAZ treasurer??

  10. Can FAZ organise anything? They can only organise nepotism since Kamanga has appointed another Kamanga to the feeding pot. Out of 20 million fans only another Kamanga can be FAZ treasurer??

  11. All the FAZ committee and Kamanga administration should investigate the shambles of selling the tickets beyond the capacity of the stadium, first and foremost the FAZ should be apologetic to the fans who missed out to watch the match when in fact same had varied tickets, and also the FAZ needs to refund the fans because really and truly is not the fans who are at bad here!! this is a daylight rubbery no two ways about it.

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