Zanaco coach Kelvin Kaindu is feeling sorrowful after his sides’ gutsy defending cost them a point in Sunday’s evenings continental tie loss away at CS Sfaxien.
The Bankers opened their 2021/2022 CAF Confederation Cup Group A campaign away in Tunisia with a 1-0 loss to Sfaxien in a lackluster contest in Rades that saw them succumb to a stoppage time penalty after resiliently defending for most of the 90 minutes.
“It is painful to lose with the last kick of the game,” Kaindu admitted.
“We didn’t create so many chances at the opponents’ goal but in the case of defending, we were tactically disciplined.”
Aymen Harzi converted a penalty deep into the fifth minute of time added-on after Peter Kalota had handled Mohamed Ben Ali’s shot.
Zanaco are bottom of Group A on zero points together with third placed Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya.
Sfaxien are second on 3 points tied with Pyramids of Egypt who top Group A following their 2-1 home win over Tripoli in Cairo on the same date.
Zanaco will hosts Pyramids this Sunday on match-day-two at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
WEEKEND SCORECARD
=CAF CONFEDERATION CUP
GROUP A
13/02/2022
-Cairo, Egypt
Pyramids 2(Islam Issa 46′, Walid el-Karti 78′)-Al Ahly Tripoli 1(Mohamed Al-Tubal 21′)
-Rades, Tunisia
CS Sfaxien 1(Aymen Harzi 90’+6 pen)- Zanaco 0
=WOMENS INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
12/02/2022
Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka
Zambia 3(Barbara Banda 6′ 38′, Avell Chitundu 30′)-South Africa 0
=FAZ SUPER LEAGUE
WEEK 23
12/02/2022
Kansanshi Dynamos 2 (Jesse Were 42′ 83′)-Zesco United 0
Nkana 1(Diamond Chikwekwe 20′)-Indeni 0
Konkola Blades 0- Kabwe Warriors 2(Harrison Mwendwa 14, Lameck Silwaba 39′)
Green Buffaloes 3(George Ngoma 35′ 48′, Godfrey Mashata 50′)-Chambishi 0
Kafue Celtic 1(Albert Kangwanda 37′)-Power Dynamos 0
13/02/2022
Buildcon 3(Timothy Sakala 4′, Lubinda Mundia 46′, Christopher Chola 63′)-Lusaka Dynamos 1(Emmanuel Sakala 10′)
Forest Rangers 1(Quadri Kola 75′)-Nkwazi 0
Green Eagles 2(Hosea Silwamba 28′, Derrick Bulaya 90′)-Red Arrows 0
TOP SCORERS (LEAGUE)
13/02/2022
Friday Samu (Green Buffaloes):14
Albert Kangwanda(Kafue Celtic):10
Jimmy Ndhlovu (Kabwe Warriors):9
Alex Ngonga (Nkana):9
Moses Phiri (Zanaco):8
Ricky Banda(Red Arrows):8
Hosea Silwimba (Green Eagles):8
Godfrey Ngwenya (Power Dynamos):7
Lubinda Mundia(Buildcon):6
Derrick Bulaya (Green Eagles):6
Conlyde Luchanga (Prison Leopards):6
Christopher Zulu(Nkwazi):6
Martin Njobvu (Green Buffaloes):6
Jesse Were(Zesco2/Kansanshi 3):5
Tapson Kaseba (Buildcon/Konkola Blades 2):5
John Chingandu (Zesco):5
Clifford Mulenga (Forest Rangers):5
Cephas Handavu(Indeni):5
James Chamanga (Red Arrows):5
Thomas Chideu (Forest Rangers):5
Quadri Kola(Forest Rangers):4
Timothy Sakala (Buildcon):4
George Ngoma (Green Buffaloes):4
Joseph Phiri (Red Arrows):4
Kilo Mwepu (Power Dynamos):4
Stephen Mutama (Nkwazi):4
Junior Zulu (Prison Leopards):4
Kelvin Mubanga(Zesco):4
Jacob Kaunda(Chambishi):4
Brian Mwila(Buildcon/Power Dynamos):4
Warren Kunda(Green Eagles):3
Alidor Kayembe (Arrows):3
Owen Tembo (Konkola Blades):3
Jacob Ngulube(Nkana):3
Joshua Mutale (Power Dynamos):3
Patrick Ngoma(Buildcon):3
Emmanuel Chabula (Lusaka Dynamos):3
Edward Mwenya(Konkola Blades):3
Fred Mulambia (Power Dynamos):3
Marvin Jere (Lusaka Dynamos):3
Akakulubelwa Mwachiyaba (Kabwe Warriors):3
Ronald Kampamba (Nkana):3
Eric Chomba (Forest Rangers):3
Langson Mbewe (Nkwazi):3
Matthews Maleka (Kansanshi Dynamos):3
=FAZ NATIONAL DIVISION ONE
WEEK 23
12/02/2022
Luapula Green Eagles 1-0 City of Lusaka
(Paul Malama)
Livingstone Pirates 0-1 Police College
(Nkula Musuba 83′)
Nchanga Rangers 3-1 Mufulira Wanderers
(Angel Lumbumba 18′, 20′, Djunes Kanda 43’/ Collins Makungu 83′)
Trident 1-0 Jumulo
(Robert Musesha 5′)
ZESCO Malaiti 3-1 Kitwe United
(Dryson Phiri 30′, Mwape Kapembwa 49′, Peter Musukuma 63’pen/Rodgers Mukenge 80′)
Young Green Buffaloes 0-1 Gomes
(Dalitso Mbewe 64′)
MUZA 1-0 Napsa
(Chipo Sondashi 48′)
13/02/2022
KYSA 0-2 Young Green Eagles
(Mangani Phiri 25′, Bright Mwila 88′)
Quattro Kalumbila 0-1 Lumwana Radiants
(Mubiana Muleta 89′)
Indeed Zanaco defended quite well, but unfortunately they also defended too deeply, given the ball back carelessly over and over again!! Defend by all means, but also develop a counter attack threat that can keep them busy in their own half!! Try again…
The naivity of the Zanaco players and lack of tactics by the coach cost them their game. They were defending a 0-0 score, keeping on pretending to be injured and hoping to wind down the clock that way. Even the British commentator remarked “I have never seen something like this before”. I remember another Zambian team getting knocked out of a CAF competion through the same naivity. It was ZESCO away to Primero Agusto in Angola. The sooner Zanaco and all of our players realise that football these days is as much mental as it is physical, the better for us.