The Zambia national team on Tuesday came from a goal down to beat the Coelacanths of Comoros in a Ivory Coast 2023 AFCON qualifier on Tuesday.
Enock Mwepu leveled matters at the end of the first stanza while Klings Kangwa sealed the win with a beauty of a free-kick in the dying minutes.
The ZamFoot Crew now looks at the five things we learned from the match.
1- THE DEFENSE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS
The Chipolopolo Boys defense has been a problem for the longest time now.
The mistakes at the back has cost the team in a number of games and it seems they are yet to be sorted out.
The goal Zambia conceded against the Coelecanths was a mistake by three players. A poor decision by Shemmy Mayembe to chest the ball instead of heading it back.
Then Tandi Mwape also made another mistake of heading a knee high ball instead of just kicking it out for a throw in.
Toaster Nsabata could have also easily handled the ball but he somehow fumbled it and the Comoros attack pounced to take the lead.
Ahead of the back to back games against Lesotho, Aljosa Asanovic and his technical bench have a lot of work to do to improve on the costly mistakes the defense continues to make.
2) DIE A LITTLE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
Defender, Rodrick Kabwe suffered a hamstring injury shortly after the restart of the second half while Comoros where in attack with him as the only defender available.
With a clearly pulled muscle, Kabwe sacrificed himself and risked further damage to his hamstring by staying on his feet and making a last ditch tackle.
His heroics have not gone unnoticed as most fans, pundits and blogs have hailed him as a hero, and we here at ZamFoot agree.
3- WE HAVE PLAYERS AND YET TO HAVE A TEAM
Zambia has always been a hub of talented players from time in memorial and that’s not changed a bit.
Klings Kangwa, Patson Daka, Enock Mwepu, Fashion Sakala, Edward Chilufya and Emmanuel Banda are headlining the new generation of talented players in the Aljosa Asanovic squad.
However to win a game, more so a tournament you need a team and not just a group of talented players.
From the last two games it’s clear Zambia has talent but Asanovic is yet to build a team.
The team won mostly relying on individual brilliance with Enock Mwepu and Klings Kangwa using their touch of class to score the two goals.
4- ASANOVIC HAS A LOT OF WORK
The Crotian gaffer has just started his life as Chipolopolo boss and needs time to build a team and inculcate his philosophy in the players.
It’s clear there is a lot of work to be done by Asanovic and his technical bench to achieve their target.
The team won on Tuesday but they were far from convincing and looked very vulnerable in certain moments.
5- KLINGS IS CLASS
The Happy Hearts product came from the bench and was one of the game changers alongside Kelvin Mubanga Kampamba and Lameck Banda with an injection of fresh energy and pace into the squad.
While in Ghana, Red Star Belgrade concluded their negotiations for the midfield dynamo tying him to a four year deal.
Kangwa produced a moment of magic in the dying minutes as he netted a beauty of a free kick to seal a win for the Copper Bullets.
Kangwa has been practicing free kicks in Russia and seems to have perfected the art. Away from the beautiful goal, his passing game and control of the game was on point.
It is true we have very brilliant individual players, but we still need a cohesive team that can stand for each other’s blunders.
To give the team more practice and to ensure they understand each other and jell, let the full team, if possible, participate in the COSAFA tournament.
This will give them the much needed practice.
@Kasama Boy Not Cosafa participation. Cosafa we can send a mixer of u19, u20, and u23 . We must build future. For seniors, Faz must organise more friendly games.
@kasama boy, agreed veteran blogger. cohesion especially in defence.
@Kasama boy yep. We also need real defenders in the fullback positions and a defensive midfielder. We have a lot of talent in attack and attacking midfielders but we need guys willing to do the dirty mop up work in the midfield. Mwepu is too talented a playmaker to be doing that job.
While I agree with you guys, I find it strange that you don’t suggest names of the players who can play in the positions that are under performing. If you can’t give us names it means you do not have any credible players other than the ones we have. And that is the reason the coach has settled on the ones he is using. FULL STOP!
I honestly can’t tell you because I haven’t been watching the local league. I can only point to one Boyd Musonda who has been mentioned as a very good defensive midfielder
We don’t need individual play BUT TEAM WORK is the only way to win in the remaining games..we also need a solid defence let the coach work on defence….we shall achieve our goal….to WIN…
The TEAM needs just TEAM WORK
This team is a lot more exposed team than the team Herve Renard inherited during his first stint.There are more players trading their talent in Europe.This should make the work of the coach more easier.If friendlies can be organized on all fifa calenders preferably the venues be in Europe to make it easier for Euro based to link up with the team.Back home the coach should extend his presence to watch even games from division 1.
You’ve nailed it. Post it to the technical bench for their perusal and learn something from your analysis.
Guys need to play as team.
Only 2 things learnt.
1A slow build up is not suited for our players.
2. The defence collapses and loses sight of an opponent at the far post.
While I agree with you guys, I find it strange that you don’t suggest names of the players who can play in the positions that are under performing. If you can’t give us names it means you do not have any credible players other than the ones we have. And that is the reason the coach has settled on the ones he is using. FULL STOP!
Chipolopolo is a big team on the continent. Cordination should improve especially on the defence side.
Paschael K Kalusa
It is true that offers must be made to the technical bench as to who should play in those positions having lapses.
As someone suggested let the coach look at players like Musonda of Zanaco, Nathan Sinkala in midfield the young No 7 is it Mutale of Power Dynamos. Kabaso Chongo, Mabika in defence…
I have always wanted to see that young Sabobo Banda he is a very skilful and talented player but rarely used at senior National Team.
Before September, let FAZ organise strong opponent friendly matches out of Africa like we played Brazil some years back so as to identify those players the technical bench can use against Lesotho and subsequent games.
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