Napsa Stars’ slim hopes of qualifying to the quarter final stage of the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup are all but over after they were humiliated 5 – 1 away against Cotonspot of Cameroon.
It was an up-hill battle for the Lusaka side after they were beaten 1 – 0 at home by their hosts last week. Coach Mohamad Fathi also knew that he was going into this game with his team very low on morale having managed only one win in seven outings in all competitions and having lost five of those games.
The coach made five changes to the starting XI that lost 1 – 0 in Lusaka. At the back, Fathi made two changes, bringing Lawrence Chungu for Bornwell Silengo and David Odhiambo for Amos Simwanza. In midfield, Danny Siavwe made way for Daniel Adoko while Jimmy Mukeya and Dosy Soko made way for midfielder Enock Sabamukamu and Emmanuel Mayuka who led the line.
The changes also saw David Odhiambo partner Luka Banda in central defense, a move which was the most telling of the changes as Napsa could have even conceded more.
L. Araina gave the hosts the lead in the 21st minute after he was allowed space to turn in the box and smash the ball into the top corner leaving Rabson Muchelenganga no chance. Luka Banda and David Odhiambo were again exposed by a powerful run from the centre circle by Cotonsport. This ended in a through ball that was finished off at the near post by S. Marou for the Cameroonians to go into the break with a healthy 2 – 0 lead.
Napsa looked better in the second but the central defense partnership of Banda and Odhiambo was struggling and they were exposed again in the 70th minute when the Cameroonians played triangles around them for S. Sanou to finish off a good move inside the box for their third.
Muchelenganga who had otherwise been excellent and could be credited for keeping the deficit at three made a strange decision t chase down an attacker to the corner flag where he was beaten easily. The ball was sent back into the box and substitute F. Ebandza Dzo made it four as he picked his spot in a congested box in the 87th minute.
There was still room for a fifth in injury time before Dosy Soko scored a face saver in the third minute of added on time after capitalizing on a defensive lapse from a freekick.
Napsa have now played four games in the group stage and have only managed a draw losing the three.
They seat at the bottom of Group B with only a point.
Rabson Muchelenganga – Luka Nguni, Luka Banda, David Odhiambo, Lawrence Chungu (Dosy Soko), Dickson Chapa, Jacob Ngulube, Enock Sabamukama (Danny Silavwe), Austin Bansa, David Adoko (Jimmy Mukeya), Emmanuel Mayuka (Laudit Mavugo)
