Chipolopolo coach Honour Janza has said it will be very difficult for Zambia to progress to the knockout stage of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations tournament after he team lost to Tunisia in a game played on Thursday evening.
Speaking in a post-match interview, Janza said it was painful to lose in the manner his team lost as his team was in control until they conceded.
“It is painful to lose a game like this. We paid the price for failing to convert our chances,” a dejected Janza said.
“We dominated the game and character-wise looked to be on the side of winning until they scored.”
“The result puts us in a difficult situation because in tournaments you don’t have to give away points like that,” he added.
And Chipolopolo skipper and man of the match, Rainford Kalaba said he thought the mentality in the game against Tunisia was better than against DRC but thought he team lost the character after going ahead.
“Today, the mentality was good compared to the first game. I don’t know what came into the mind of my colleagues after we scored. I was shocked to see the way they played. That was not the Zambia I know,” Kalaba said.
Tunisia head coach Georges Leekens said his team deserved to win and was looking forward to the game against Congo DR.
“We had some problems in the first half trying to find our balance. It was the same in our game against Cape Verde. In the second half, the players took more responsibility and we deserved to win,” Leekens said.
“We have four points. With our last game against DR Congo, we have to take it as a final,” he concluded.
Now people need to get calculators and start calculating the scenarios for us to go through?
we tod you useless coach,now you talking as if you fooling us pushi iwe
No Janza, today iam with you. you deserved to win. if what you did today was done by you, then you’er the man for the Job. be encouraged, you just need be man enough to bench Emmanuel Mbola from todays team. remember after the Tunisians started to pressurise from his angle, you could not substitute him instead you hide him behind Muntali. watch the videos and see which deffender could avoided that goal. look also at the DRC game, was it not Mbola who was at faulty? so sir. in that position bring in Rodrick kabwe. its not yet over untill the last game. today am happy with your team selection eccept that short boy you like to uze in defence (Mbola)
Emmanuel Mbola is the only wingback Zambia has: the others are fullbacks. He is the only one who has the ability to attack and has no replacement.
It is not difficult for zambia to qualify what is Janza taking about. All zambia need to do is beat cape Verde 1-0 that’s it.
Very painfully indeed coach. It’s not your fault. It’s players themselves to blame. At least a draw not giving away a game in that way.
To me coach, Mayuka coasted us a game. To de he would have scored 3 goals. He had a lot of misjudgments. That was injuring himself as well as injuring his team mates and the nation at large. Wishing him a quick recovery.
Chances are still there coach.
I don’t know why the Ghanaians are celebrating if cape verde and drc draw zambia is qualifying. Zambia will beat cape Verde. Janza should stop telling the boys it is difficult to qualify in the event of a draw tonight we only need to beat cape Verde and we are through.
I concur with you coach. It was not your fault but the strikers especially Mayuka though also you should not have brought in Jackson Mwanza – I thought bringing in a midfielder and pushing Given would have done. Kalaba well played. Tough luck boys.
zamfoot. please give player rater analysIs. u tend not to do that if zambia losses or draws
John, which Ghanaians are jubilating? Unless you have some Ghanaians around you, I cant find any comment from a Ghanaian so far. Must you always bring in Ghana when you talk football? Well, may be you measure your country’s success or failure in football by the standards of Ghana. Ghanaians never use Zambia as a standard.
Missing Renard yet?
Lol
Tc what if zambia qualify? Renard was a pathetic coach. If zambia gets to the quarterfinal which is very possible what will you say?
John ,How can a coach struggling to get you to the AFCON quarter final be better than one who won you an AFCON cup?Herve Renard left a team capable of competing with Brazil or any other world class team.You spend your entire lifetime condemning the only credible feat Zambia has ever achieved in football terms and then start cheer leading a clueless coach who cant even know when to make a substitute!
Herve Renard would have closed out this game tactically just with one or two substitution.We should have pushed Singuluma on top in place of Mayuka,bring in a defensive midfielder(Renard balanced his selections with utility players for that purpose) and pack the midfield with 5 players in a 4.5.1 in the last 10 minutes.At this stage of the competition,you have to grind out a result for the 3 points regardless of whether you play a boring game or not.A goal is enough for a tactically disciplined team.
You can actually sense a measure of frustration in some senior players like kalaba with regards to player selection.We rushed into trying to rebuild !
You foolish coach. You left efficient strikers and took useless ones. you have yourself to blame
So those that know, we need Zambia to win and Tunisia to win last game? Of we don’t care what everybody does, just win? What comes first head to head or goal difference?
So those that know, we need Zambia to win and Tunisia to win last game? Of we don’t care what everybody does, just win? What comes first head to head or goal difference?
Tunisia does not have to win even a draw from them will take us through. Head to head comes first. Tunisia will not play for a loss they know if they lose and cape Verde win they are out. Zambia has a chance to qualify
sense
stop saying it will be difficult the group is still open just beat cv.you foolish coach
All zambia needs to do is beat cape Verde that’s it 1-0 will do. Tunisia will not lose to drc a loss for them will see them go out if cape verde win. They are not through and will fight for a draw
Yes Rainford said it right. The team lost character! The body language of the guys was terrible after Mayuka went off. We were just waiting to be beaten. Mweene and Rainford are some if the only strong ones. Character and leadership needs to come from somewhere and looking at the bench there wasnt much coming from the touchline.
Group b is still open any team can qualify.So Janza stop being pessimistic as all is not lost.
How do we hope to win anything if our star striker is a full time bench warmer in England? He only scores the most obvious chances(Any one can score from such a position) Drop Mayuka, Push Given forward and include another midfielder.
No way my man