Fact File
Host: Algeria
Holders: Cameroon
Winners: Algeria
Third Place: Zambia
Group A: Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Nigeria
Group B: Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Zambia
Captain: David ‘Efford’ Chabala
Coach: Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu, Dick Chama, Dickson Makwaza
CAF Team of the Tournament: Samuel Chomba, Webster ‘Mukishi Joe’ Chikabala
Trivial: Joel Bwalya and Daniel Amokachi (Nigeria) were the youngest players
Team News
9 players from the Seoul ’88 Olympics made the AFCON Squad –
David ‘Efford’ Chabala, Estone ‘Yellowman’ Mulenga, Samuel Chomba, Lucky ‘Muchofe’ M’siska, Beston ‘Quicksilver’ Chambeshi, Webster Chikabala, Pearson Mwanza, Wisdom ‘Wiz’ Chansa, Derby Makinka
Notable Absentees
Some of the European based like Kalusha Bwalya, Charles Musonda, Johnstone Bwalya, Stone Nyirenda and Ashios Melu all missed for various reasons
Johnstone Bwalya had not recovered from the injury he suffered at Seoul Olympics.
Charles Musonda had club commitment with RSC Anderlecht as they were involved in a European Cup final against Sampdoria. While in Algeria, the KK11 watched the match on TV.
Stone Nyirenda and Lucky M’siska travelled joined the team in North Africa but Nyirenda got injured and was ruled out of the tournament.
Kalusha Bwalya had a pulled muscle during PSV’s league match in the Dutch league, a week before the tournament
Ashios Melu had just signed for Greek side. He was excused from the tourney.
Inclusions
Background: Having failed to qualify to the Italia 90 World Cup, fans demanded for the team to be refreshed and the technical bench obliged.
The old guard paved way for the blood.
All Stars v The Rest matches were played at Shinde Stadium in Mufulira and around 60 players were summoned, and camped in Luanshya.
Yes, the national team used to camp in Luanshya and not Lusaka!
Joel Bwalya and Philimon Chisala both from Mufulira Wanderers forced their way into the team.
There was also a young Timothy ‘Teacher’ Mwitwa and John Soko from Kabwe Warriors and Kalulushi Modern Stars.
Another inclusion was Geofrey ‘Free Joe’ Mulenga who was at the time based in Swizerland also made the cut. ‘Free Joe’ also had a stint with Nchanga Rangers.
New Players: Joel Bwalya, 18, Whiteson Changwe 25, Kampambwe Mulenga 27, Linos Makwaza 24, Kenneth Malitoli 23, Timothy Mwitwa 21, Philimon Chisala 23, Geofrey Mulenga 22, John Soko 21, Pearson Mwanza 22.
The 17th edition of Africa Cup of Nations was hosted in Algeria in 1990.
The tournament had 8 teams placed in 2 groups with Zambia placed in group B alongside Cameroon, Senegal and Kenya.
Having missed 1988 AFCON after Zambia was stripped off hosting rights for failure to build new stadia (Ndola’s Dag Hammarskjöld was razed to pay way for new stadium), the KK11 had a point to prove.
The tournament came at a time the country had global acclaim after the Seoul 1988 Olympics exploits which saw the Zambia shock Italy on their way to a Quarter final loss to Germany.
Group Stage
Zambia 1-0 Cameroon (Webster Chikabala 58′); Senegal 0-0 Kenya
Line up: David ‘Efford’ Chabala; John Soko, Samuel Chomba, Eston Mulenga, Kapambwe Mulenga; Wisdom Chansa, Derby Makinka, Whiteson Changwe, Lucky Msiska; Timothy Mwitwa (Linos Makwaza 87′), Webster Chikabala
Zambia revenged for the 3-2 defeat in 86
Without Rodger Milla in the squad, Cameroon still had goalkeeker Charles N’kono, Cyril Makanaky and a 24 year Francis Omam-Biyik.
A few months later on, Cameroon made Africa proud and reached the quarter finals at Italia 90.
Kenya 0-1 Zambia (Linos Makwaza 40′); Senegal 2-0 Cameroon
Line up: David ‘Efford’ Chabala; John Soko, Samuel Chomba, Eston Mulenga, Whiteson Changwe; Lucky Msiska, Derby Makinka, Linos Makwaza, Geoffrey Mulenga; Wisdom Chansa, Webster Chikabala
Zambia coach Zoom made 2 changes with Geoffrey Mulenga and Linos Makwaza coming in for Kapambwe Mulenga and Timothy Mwitwa.
Zambia revenged for the 3-2 defeat in 86.
Senegal 0-0 Zambia; Cameroon 2-0 Kenya
Line up: David ‘Efford’ Chabala; John Soko, Samuel Chomba, Eston Mulenga, Kampambwe Mulenga; Wisdom Chansa, Derby Makinka, Linos Makwaza, Whiteson Changwe, Kenneth Malitoli, Webster Chikabala
Facing a Senegal side coached by Claude Le Roy, Zambia made 2 further alterations to the starting 11.
Semi Final
Nigeria 2-0 Zambia
Line up: David ‘Efford’ Chabala; John Soko, Samuel Chomba, Geofrey Mulenga, Kapambwe Mulenga; Wisdom Chansa, Derby Makinka, Whiteson Changwe, Lucky Msiska; Linos Makwaza, Webster Chikabala
Zambia topped their group to set up a mouth-watering semi-final tie with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Nigeria had recovered well from a 5-1 bashing at the hands of hosts Algeria in their first game to record consecutive 1-0 wins over Egypt and Ivory Coast.
The team boasted of a lethal strike force partnership of Rashid Yekini and Daniel Amokachi with Uche Okechukwu at the back.
Goals from Uche and Yekini either side of the half were enough to extinguish Zambia’s hopes of a first final appearance since 1974.
3rd/4th Play Off
Zambia 1-0 Senegal (Chikabala 78′)
Line up: David ‘Efford’ Chabala; John Soko, Samuel Chomba, Eston Mulenga, Whiteson Changwe; Wisdom Chansa, Derby Makinka, Kapambwe Mulenga, Joel Bwalya; Wisdom Chansa, Webster Chikabala
Joel Bwalya was handed his first start of the tourney in the 3rd and 4th playoff against Senegal.
Coincidently, Joel’s last AFCON match for Zambia was also a 3rd/4th play off against Ghana in 96. He actually scored the winner.
Webster Chikabala’s goal in the second half ensured Zambia went back with bronze. Algeria emerged winners of the tournament after beating Nigeia 1-0 in the final.
Zambia’s record at AFCON
1 AFCON title [Gold] – 2012
2 Runners Up [Silver] – 1974, 1994
3 Third Finish [Bronze] – 1982, 1990, 1996
Note: Zambia is the 7 best successful team on the continent.