The Zambia national team has drawn 1 – 1 with Cameroon in a hard fought game played in Limbe on Saturday afternoon.
The Chipolopolo will feel unlucky to have conceded a soft penalty in the first half injury time which gave the Indomitable Lions their goal after Collins Mbesuma had given Zambia the lead.
The hosts settled quickly and had the first shot on target in the 5th minute when Kabaso Chongo’s poor headed clearance fell in the path of a Cameroonian attacker whose belter in the ‘D’ was on target but Mweene turned it around the post at full stretch.
Cameroon where enjoying possession but they lacked a goal threat aside some good searching crosses from the left of the attack where defender Kabaso Chongo was always second best when the attacker ran at him.
Zambia then curved out the best chance of the game when Kalaba playing a more central role released Chisamba Lungu on the left who beat his marker with a dribble to send in a sharp cross in the 6 yard box which Mbesuma met but his effort went over the bar.
Fackson Kapumbu standing over the ball to take a free kick spotted a disguised ran by the skipper Kalaba and he played a low ball in the box which the captain didn’t not hesitate to square to find Ntofo Ntofo on the run and he made no mistake this time in the 35th minute.
With the Chipolopolo looking good to take a one nil lead into he break, a quick turn in the box by the Lions striker saw Ziyo Tembo desperately trying to recover and his well timed tackle did enough to cover but the ball unfortunately rolled on his hand as the striker checked back inside for the referee to point to the spot.
Mweene was sent in the wrong direction for the equalizer from the spot.
Zambia brought in Simon Silwimba after an ineffective Evans Kangwa was stretchered of due to injury.
In the second half the Chipolopolo started the better side and were unforunate not to take the lead after a good shot by Kondwani Mtonga in the box was saved.
Ten minutes into the second half, Â goal scorer Collins Mbesuma was substituted for Rogers Kola.
Kola’s had a perfect first 10 minutes as he hussled upfront and ran the channels and Zambia had their best spell in that period.
The Israeli based striker won a free kick on the edge of the box in the 60th minute which was taken by Chisamba. The keeper struggled to keep it out and Kondwani picked the rebound to shoot on target but the goalkeeper was well positioned to tap it out for a corner.
As the game wore on it was clear that Zambia would settle for a draw as hey retreated deep in their half leaving on Kola in front who struggled to hold on to the long ball they continued to pump to him.
Even when it looked like the game needed width with the likes of Fwayo Tembo on the bench, Â coach Wedson Nyirenda opted for a more conservative substitute as he brought in Isaac Chansa for Chisamba as Zambia held on to pick their first points in Group B.
Zambia XI v Cameroon
Kennedy Mweene – Kabaso Chongo, Fackson Kapumbu, Stopilla Sunzu, Ziyo Tembo, Misheck Chaila, Kondwani Mtonga, Rainford Kalaba, Chisamba Lungu (Isaac Chansa), Collins Mbesuma (Rogers Kola), Evans Kangwa (Simon Silwimba)
More to follow. …..
ALGERIA HAVE TAKEN A GOAL OUT___NIGERIA 2 ALGERIA 1 75TH MINUTE
GAME ON
Always poor at defending a lead! What manner of indiscipline is this? It just never goes away!
That’s when I start nail biting , immediately after we score we concede. Now we have back to back fixtures with the wounded desert foxes. Kaya mwandi.
My man, we were wounded ourselves and now we are mending! They shouldn’t take us for granted!!!
We played a ‘bus’ game and thats the way you go with the resources we have when playin away! Cameroon played a draw in Algeria, they will grab a point or two off Nigeria…this group is not yet decided…we were scared sh-it against Nigeria but now confidence will be there when we play our next game at home! Congratulations boys!!
Nigeria 2 games 6 pts(possible 4)
Algeria 2 games 1 pt (possible 2)
Zambia 2 games 1pt
Cameroon 2 gam 2 pts
4 games left:
√2 at home
√2 away
Guess we need a draw + 3 wins to stand a Chance.
Or just win every remaining game to truly deserve the honour!!
91ST MINUTES __ VICTOR MOSES MADE IT 3 GOALS TO 1
NIGERIA 3 ALGERIA 1
END OF PROCEEDINGS _GREEN EAGLES 3 ALGERIA 1
We are on our way to RUSSIA
dat world cup is ours…. Injury and admin took afcon away from us
U THINK SO WIZKID?__HUMMM DID U HEAR THAT ROOMIES? THAT KID BLAMED INJURIES AND ADMINS FOR THE GREEN EAGLES FALURE TO AFCON_HAHAHAHAHAHA
Nigeria playing better when it really mattered!
kola shud never b calld to national team is a plunk,better mayuka or walter even jack mwanza.nigeria will nt qualify
Nigeria will not qualify? Comedian, ao who will now qualify? Zambia I guess.
Watch as Nigeria will decimate Cameroon next year August. All we need from your team is to draw the Algerian team. You guys are the draw expect, you will handle the Algerian team for us.
kalaba was brilliant in confed cup final but lacked those mesmerising runs today. we needd an expat coach, nyierenda doesnt know his own team. we do not seem to hav a talismanic player around whom the game rotates.
Spot on! The lack of a talismanic player has been our problem for many years….Fwayo is the closest we’ve had in recent years; he has the ability but his heart seems elsewhere. When I first saw Mukuka Mulenga I thought ‘bingo’unfortunately he got injured…..Kalaba is trying the fill in the gap but we know we always get the best out of him when he plays on the wings…This is evident both with Chipolopolo and TP. I saw the best of him in a TP match as a winger combining with Mputu, a natural player maker….
I agree with you. Wedson lost the two games in this campaign due to wrong player choice. In our situation a draw is as bad as a loss. Against Nigeria he had an ineffective midfield and now he benches fwayo and isaac. He does not know how to win these matches. I feel he is rebuilding our team at a critical time.
Wada Wada, learn to listen we need experience in the team you did not listen to us, we learn through mistakes but you have repeated it again, in a previous game you made branda by substituting fwayo who was the best player on the field and today to our surprise you even benched fwayo. ba zamfoot we want nyirenda to give us a tangible answer, or else we will not spair him we have been advising him that we need experience in the team the likes of lubambo and Mbola but to no avail. This is tax payers money you are using.
Chipolopolo played well considering it was an away game. Our team is still transforming from previous coaches’ styles. Lets allow those who take every game as a chance for them to vent their frustrations of life.
Chipolopolo bullet
All Nigeria goals are like gifts to them…all three they scored today and the two they scored in Zambia…no one is marking their players. .that said. victor Moses is a fighter. ..great attitude. Algeria have good ball movement…Zambia needs to up its game period. ..Cameroon pitch was terrible. ..they have one or two good players. ..but the indomitable Lions do not look good enough this year. As much as this is the group of death …Nigeria is a building path…Zambia is reconstructing…Cameroon are also building. ..this is Algeria group to win…but they lack confidence which is wet Nigeria come in…they have kept a core group of players together…Zambia keeps chopping and breaking up their team…they should have kept the Core of the Africa cup team and CHA team together. Also need better coach. Period
It is the man mark of a good team when it exploits mistakes (or “gifts”) by their opponents. The Super Eagles will qualify because it looks like they want qualification the most in this group, and because they have a really good crop of young players steadied by a few experienced ones. And the frightening thing is that this Nigerian team is still evolving as their young players continue to acquire experience and their new coach understands his players better! By the way……the Super Eagles’ third goal today was anything but a “gift”. It was the result of a fantastic and deliberate counter attack by the Eagles…..a wonderful move that shows the potential of this current bunch!
Wedson nyirenda is better than lwandimina the team selection was ok although we need Lubambo musonda,mbola,walter bwalya and mayuka.kennedy mweene had a good game today I think wedson will build a strong team
Next time we want the following players to called in the provisional squad…Mbola, Lubambo Musonda, Aaron Katebe, CK, Mayuka , Walter Bwalya n James Chamanga. Adrian Chama n Rogers Kola should step aside. FAZ should organise a friendly match with Egypt or Morocco who play a similar style to Algeria.
congratulations boys better than nothing.
Congrats chipolopolo
Mwebantu Walter bwalya is waiting for clearance i mean duo citizen coz he used to stay in congo dr and playing for lubumbashi sports but one of his parent is a Zambian so Wada wada is not a fool pakusha walter bwalya ku squad,but during camping time alasangwa
let’s not console our selves.We need quality players.I still feel that Mayuka, Chris and fwayo tembo has something to offer to the team.we are feeling to contain big boys in Africa.we messed up our first game with the green eagles. Wanda must wakeup look @ Uganda,they Don’t have big boys playing in big leagues but results are coming.
Germiston I agree with you 100%
We need mayuka to help out mbesuma in attack
Yes wada is better than chicken. He can build every strong squad
nyilenda learn to substute, zambian corches nichani kanshi.
This Cameroun side was the weakest we have ever played .This was our game for the taking if only we were brave enough to use attacking players.The introduction of Silwimba was tactically wrong.I am not sure if Mbesuma’s removal was injury forced but if it was not,then it was also wrong.The leam lacks cohesion,there was no shape except packing of the bus.Trying to defend a one goal lead in the first half was also a big tactical mistake.Ziyo is a good defender but we paid for his lack of experience.You dont tackle in the box when under pressure.You dont man mark in the box but you mark space and reduce the angle for the striker.I had mentioned in one contribution when Wada was appointed that his direct approach rather slow build ups with most teams he has coached cannot be effective at this level.There is nominput from midfield as ball are booted upfront and that doesnot favour Mbesuma’s style.We must play to Mbesuma’s strngth in the box rather than hoofing of high balls to him.That is how we scored the first goal,he was fed in the box
Your point is spot on. Wing play should have been our strategy for goals. But it came twice, as if by chance, then disappeared. “Lubambo, Fwayo, Roderick, Felix Katongo shud be draft into the team to provide those crosses for Mbesuma.
Neither team qualify for Russia…they were sluggish, slow and showing very little ambition. I’m just happy we did enough to save our pride.
We need ball players going forward, the likes of Lubambo, Mayuka, Walter Bwalya, and Mbola. Wedson Inyirenda is trying to build a team thats why he seems to be trying different players and tactics. But I must say Nyirenda is better than Lwandamina. Lwandamina is corrupt, nepotistic and chooses players depending on his relationship with them. The ref also killed us in yesterday’s game. He only gave them a penalty after Cameroon players protested. Also Fwayo should have been introduced instead of Silwimba. Fwayo would have added more offense to the attack. Having said that lets build the team using the remaining qualifying games. There is no way Zambia can qualify to Russia 2018. We made a mistake to lose to Nigeria at LPM. A draw against Nigeria would have been much better. Nigeria is going to win the group. Cameroon are no longer the team they used to be. Algeria are bad travelers to sub-Saharan countries, and might lose all their away games.
Yes let’s give nyiirenda chance if want we are hearing about walter bwalya that he is waiting for clearance is true then that’s good news but how long will he wait because we need him in the next friendly game
Walter is a complete strike he has the body, skill,power,eye for goal he can also hold on to the ball he is not like sate sate who only score but he can’t hold on to the ball I have watch the two players week in week out this clearance should be done as soon as possible because if we are late DRC will snatch him
Could some one explain why the best player in the Zambia/Nigeria game never saw action in this????What happened to Fwayo?????Was he injured????
Good question..I am also curious.
Wow, what a title! Who held who; Cameroon holding Zambia or Zambia holding Cameroon!!
It all depends…the glass can be half or half empty…
half full or half empty
Where is the squad which played na Nigeria?
But mwandi!!
This chi coach is fake how on earth did heu bench the outstanding player in the in the last game against Nigeria(fwayo).we could have beaten Cameroon on their own tarf.faz get an expart coach asap.
The title could not have been any better. That game was so dreaded but at the end of it all. Cameroon left nothing to be desired. Am sure the guys are in bad taste with their fans. Truthfully speaking. Am ok with the Chipolopolo results given- the absence of a key player- FT, poor Officiating as well as our own team state. The team still needs a lot of panel beating. Other players need to be assessed too. All the best to Chipolopolo as we rebuild.
Is there any new exciting talent coming through our youth football? I’m truly worried about our future when we still have to go back to Isaac Chansa…(I’m not taking anything away for his achievements for Zambia and all the clubs he has played for….in fact he is one of favourites in the 2000’s chipolopolo generation)