Kennedy Mweene missed a penalty in the dying minutes of the game to see Zambia play to a barren draw in the opening match of the 2017 Gabon Africa Cup of Nations qualifier as the failure to convert chances continues to haunt Zambia.
Guinea Bissau were clearly second best in the match as they had very little to offer going forward but the goal scoring problems showed just from the line-up named by newly appointed stand-in coach George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina.
Lwandamina named teenage striker Patson Daka in the line-up ahead of the more illustrious names of Emmanuel Mayuka, Bornwell Mwape and Ronald Kampamba and Zambia looked solid in all departments except for the final third.
The Chipolopolo were asking the questions from the start but they were not hitting the target but came very close in the 28th minute when Kabaso Chongo’s well curled cross found Rainford Kalaba free at the back post but he headed inches off target.
The second half saw Zambia’s best player going forward Allan Mukuka withdrawn for Lubambo Musonda after 60 minutes of play even the direct play by Lubambo yielded no results.
Given Singuluma was also withdrawn for Chisamba Lungu who brought some excitement in the middle of the pack but even that yielded very little in creating the chances.
In what could be an indictment on the strikers available in the team, Lwandamina withdrew the only remaining striker on the pitch Daka and played Fwayo Tembo at a time when Zambia was frantically searching for goals. Kalaba led the line to no effect.
The Chipolopolo were then given a lifeline when Guinea Bissau conceded a penalty which was poorly taken by Mweene.
The defence partnership of Chris Munthali and Aaron Katebe stood out with Katebe being named the official man of the match.
Zambia next travel to Kenya on the weekend of 5-6 September, 2015.
Zambia XI v Guinea Bissau
K. Mweene K. Chongo A. Katebe C. Munthali E. Mbola N. Sinkala K. Mthonga A Mukuka (Lubambo Musonda) G. Singuluma (Chisamba Lungu) R. Kalaba P . Daka (Fwayo Tembo)
Lord have mercy!
Guinea who?
Guinea Bissau.
im so sad
As usual, they don’t want to play their lungs out and win easy must win games and want to wait for crucial last three games when they will start counting permutations – “If Guinea lose at home to …, and if … draw their last game, then, we will be through! Mmmm! Familiar?
Critical analysis. Well done
Am shocked and dissappointed.looo!
Yeah will go back to our usual maths to qualify….I have to blame th guys there was no sense of urgency n responsibility,they nid to up their game
We’re confused as a country.
There are so many words of describing that display by the Zambia national team. Rubbish is one of the words. Struggling to beat small country Guinea Bissau? Who are you going to beat then? At the end of it all, it will come back to permutations and mathematical calculations. This time around it won’t work. If Zambia come out second in this group, just know we are out of qualification. Only the top team qualifies to Gabon afcon 2017.
Did not watch the game so can’t say much. But Guinea who? These are teams we could easily beat even with a weaker Chipolopolo team.
I know we missed a penalty. It just goes to show that things ain’t right with our soccer.
It is clearly shown that we need an expatriate coach to take us somewhere, how can one just play no strikers and only midfielders,whats that surely and expecting to get maximum points, noway with these players we have.
Billy who was your most outstanding player on the day?
@Sibs, long time brother; Hope you’re well.
I think Aaron Katebe impressed me. The guy is good. I think we now have a defender to rely on in the absence of Sunzu. I should also mention that, the coaching staff made a mistake in selecting the first team. In the first half we needed to have an attacking formation. There was nothing we were defending for. Two defending midfielders in Mtonga and Sinkala, for what. Mweene despite missing a penalty had a field day and didn’t do much. The defence was solid and no threats came from the Guineans, and therefore we needed a more attacking formation. The players that played the last 20 minutes is what we needed in the first half, Chisamba, Lubambo/Mukuka Mulenga, Fwayo together with Kalaba and probably Mayuka or Sate Sate upfront. To me Patson Daka is still learning and should have come in the second half, together with Allan Mukuka. This is where we lost it. We are also relying too much on Kalaba. Other players should also take “the bull by its horns” and make those runs in the opposition areas, and who knows might force some dangerous free kicks and even penalty. The coach need to get the tactics right in the remaining games. Thanks.
Spot on Billy. Aron was outstanding !
Ba zamfoot you failed us big time. Failing to provide match updates for a game being played in Zambia.
Seriously call Chris and Felix Katongo. Even call Jacob Mulenga. Drop Patson Daka. We cant Sata , Mwape and Daka.
The strikers should be Singuluma, Sate, Chris, Kangwa and Jacob. Drop Mayuka for now….
This is one game We should have used 4 strikers as the opposition was not attacking. FULL TIME SOUTH AFRICA ALSO DRAW 0-0 WITH GAMBIA.
On second thoughts our substitutions should have been strikers. But again the midfielders we are calling defensive where so aggressive at getting the ball back hence Congo went to pack the bus. Mtonga and Sinkala rarely lost the ball it was a very dominating midfield display. The substitutions didn’t push higher or do a trick in a dangerous area. And only Patson Daka ever driibbled the entire CONGO defence when he came in from the right. We need Eden Harzard, we don’t have Eden Harzard.
It’s true, the so called young players have failed us, try j Mulenga, Mbesuma, Kola & C Katongo just for trials and the results.
Sorry meant to say “and see the results”
@Seen from Afar, I second your motion only I would retain Mayuka too. We need old guards and only replace them with one or two in subs otherwise the young ones have no drive to make us competitive enough at high level stage!
Am sad only Kalu and his fellow clowns are happy because Patson has now amassed enough caps to be sold and get paid maybe that way now the lad will be kept way from the squad.
The ugly face of complacency showed up in Kennedy Mweene. He thought it was business as usual. And the worse part is that he has no competition as Zambia’s first choice.
I agree with not starting Chisamba Lungu, but I’m keen to hear from coach on why he didn’t start with a more potent partnership upfront.
Kalu is an idiot and this is janza’s line up nothing has changed the witch craft is still around . We are not a nation of fools .
Mayuka wil remain the top striker in Zambia . Those watched agree with . In September rodgers kola is going to play . If they do not bring back kola and Jacob they should not camp in Zambia . Its up people show there protest by throwing missiles to who ever who will be in charge . The government who are the chief financer should ask through minister of sports what its actually the team’s performance .
I mean those who watched afcon agree with me . Mayuka is our number one striker . Playing without mayuka and kola its like drinking tea without sugar .
You’re right. I can agree with you on this one bro.
U just talk waa, u don’t know how to play. Apuu!!!
Janza already made the mistake to not start Chisamba, now Lwandamina does the same.
I didnt not watch the game but you can coralate Zambias poor performance from the time Mukuka came into the team in 2012-13. He does not do enough for me. He does nothing that the team collectively doing does not do itself… Not enough! Leave him out the first team.
Mayuka was struggling for match fitness and confidence before his injury, since his injury let him concentrate on club football while we concentrate on feilding a cohesive starting line up. Mayuka is still the number 1 but leave him out for the time being.
@ Seen from afar the mukuka you are referring to did not play a part in yesterday’s game but it was rather Allan mukuka from GBFC who played. You are confusing mukuka deco melenga & Allan mukuka
Ok thanks
Sorry for Mweene. I think the GB keeper studied him. It sounds like he tried the same pk he scored for Zambia in the 2012 AFCON shootout
I see Zambia failing to qualify to the 2017 edition of the afcon in Gabon. Congo Brazza will beat Kenya today. Congo will qualify ahead of Zambia. The Congolese are playing good football.
Congo 0 – 0 Kenya, eating humble pie, bola ni bola!
Patson Daka all the time, even reaching an extend where he’s taken to under 20 &23 now senior team. In all this he has never scored. We even withdraw him from the U23 and take him to Cosafa just to earn caps! What’s cooking up at Futball house whose main office is in RSA? Some dull chap thought of impossing the boy on the line up thinking others will still score since GB is useless but now it backfired!
They wont be happy until they burn patson Daka out. That is exactly what will happen.
I have always not been comfortable with Mweene’s penalty kicks! He waits for the keeper to move and then he doesn’t send the ball in the far corner of the net. In most cases he rolls the ball almost in the center of the goal as if he is passing to to goal keeper! Very casually!
how many goals has this patson daka scored in the zambian league ??? for him to be featured ahead of bonwell, sate sate and mayuka .under 17,under 20,under 23 and now senior team,same chap ,same misfiring striker. “balemukusha umutwe”. why 2 defensive mid-fielders??? wen we needed goals.wrong starting line up,, wrong tactics ..by the coach.
The coach was at fault for that horrible draw.Local coach are not ready for international football thats why even our local clubs fail to perform in. Caf competitions.I don’t understand how think thats if they even think.
Very true there.
The coach was at fault for that horrible draw.Local coach are not ready for international football thats why even our local clubs fail to perform in. Caf competitions.I don’t understand how they think thats if they even think.
Mweene is a good taker of penalty, its just one of those things, weak and straight, that one was poor No power behind the ball. Let’s wait and see in the Congo vs Kenya.
Chipolopolo never disappoints when it comes to disappointments.
Kikikikikikikikikikikikikikikikikikikikiki,lol@Billy boy something to cheer as up after Kalu and his ever learning pathetic clowns at it again at what they are good at.Now Blogger it’s that time again for calculus formulas.
To be honest with local trainers we are going no were
Charles Musonda wants his son to be loaned to Monaco fc. According to the report on goal.com, ‘Musonda is a former Anderlecht player who played for Zimbabwe in the 80s’.
@Anita, I also saw that on Goal.com. I think he doesn’t see his son playing at Chelsea any time soon, what with the presence of Eden Hazard, the two play for the same position. So Zambia has lost a player to Belgium. Yaba! Just saying.
Kalu please talk to charlse musonda and charly junior so that his son start playing for mother zambia the boy is talented
@Anita Charlie cool very much Zambian,point of correction.In my opinion I still do not see this boy featuring for Belgium any time soon,he can be selected but end up just warming the bench.If he can give up to fight it up Eden at club level the same lad he is to fight up with at National team.
Ghana had lost Memphis depay, balotelli, Jerome boateng and many more. It hurts I feel ur pain Zambia
Imagine how deadly Ghana would have been with all these prodigal sons in our ranks
@Billy. I’m good thanks. Appreciate the feedback.