Zambia Ran out 4-2 winners over Taifa Stars of Tanzania in the COSAFA Cup semi-final. An early goal from Erasto Nyoni in the 15th minute saw Zambia find some early nerves and have to wait till the 44th minute to come level again. Barely a minute after a classy equalizer Zambia took the lead through Justin Shonga at the stroke of half time. Zambia kept the momentum going as Jack Chirwa converted what some would term a soft penalty before Justin Shonga doubled his money by netting a neatly taken free kick aimed at the far corner before Saimon Msuva scored ab 84th minute consolation goal
Zambia XI: Chibwe, Chama, Chungu, Mulenga, Shamujompa, Malama, Chirwa, Katiba, Shonga, Mwila, Chibwekwe
Tanzania XI: Manula, Kamagi, Banda, Mbonde, Mao, Maguri, Msuva, Ramadhani, Said, Kapombe, Nyoni
The game started off for Zambia on a slow note, with a lot of poor finishing to show for their attacking efforts. The Chipolopolo soon rued their chances as Erasto Nyoni curled in an amazing free kick effort to beat a rushing Alln Chibwe and take the game by the neck.
Zambia the n piled on the pressure but kept rushing the attacks and wasting the chances all the way till the 45th minute when Jack Chirwa expertly curled and weighed his through ball to find the penetrating run of Justin Shonga on the right who cleverly rolled in an on rushing Brian Mwila to equalize with a sliding side foot.
With less than a minute after his leveler, Brian Mwila flicked on Justin Shonga who energetically ran between the Taifa Stars center backs and calmly finished at the far post with his right boot to take a last gasp lead into the break.
The second half began slowly with Tanzania bringing the heat and Zambia staying in the kitchen before Mike Katiba took on one of his trademark runs at the defense before attempting a cross that was judged to have been stopped by the hand of a Tanzanian defender who was in the box resulting in a penalty.
Jack Chirwa stepped up to the spot and sent the keeper to his left while dispatching the ball to his right and double the advantage for the Chipolpolo.
In the 68th minute Zambia was awarded with a Free kick left of the 18-yard box and Justin Shonga stepped up to take, he curled his effort strongly to the left with the keeper getting fingers to it before it crashed into the net to take the sting out of the Tanzanian attack.
Zambia slowed down the game and took off Brian Mwila and Diamond Chikwekwe to replace them with Chitiya Mususu and Lubinda Mundia respectively before the ever willing Saimon Msuva pounced on a loose ball off the cross bar to fire home off the body of Mulenga to draw one back for Tanzania and set up a nervy finale for the Zambians.
With two minutes to go Zambia then wound down time by bringing on Godfrey Ngwenya for Justin Shonga as a last minute sub to see out the victory,
On to the final.
Good show but Wada’s real test will be against Algeria next month.
Excellent work Chipolopolo!
I really don’t know how to feel about this. On one hand, I’m glad Zambia won, but on the other it feels like an empty victory.
Wada is yet to win a meaningful match. I just hope that COSAFA is the beginning of a new page for the Wada erra. On one hand I am still hopeful, but on the other I have seen enough to be apprehensive.
Impressed with Tanzanian player Simon Msuva. I give credit were it is due and Zambia rarely dissapoint once they reach past semis,…but they have to up their game and play a more fluid game using their athleticism…and passing must improve…they are winning but playing ugly…Zambia can do better to actually use these tournaments to try out systems that work and not just playing. This is were good coaching comes in. Great goal by Justin songs…
This team (our teams) have never learned how to stop conceding goals within a minute of scoring! What nonsense! Really it is sad!
I liked the lad Brian Mwila, I feel he has a future!
WE won but couldnt see any well cordinated play by Zambia. Most of the times it was just kicking the the ball in front. Why did the coach leave out Cletus Chama? Adrian Chama is a disaster at the back.
We should stop getting excited about winning cosafa opponents because we will get crashed when brought up against a real team e.g Algeria,nigeria,ghana etc so lets not be too happy with this 4 goal margin because i wonder what the score would have been if it where Algeria or nigeria facing this weak team
Honestly speaking I can’t celebrate this victory
I watched the entire game from the stands
1.There’s no creativity in the team
2.the coach is very raw
3.the team couldn’t string meaningful two or three passes
4.the back line can’t read the game and incoming passes from the midfield to the strikers
5.our strikers shonga n mwila are doing well but could do better if they had great supply from Ngwenya not that chikwekwe boy
6.malama awe sure
Lastly a good team can strip this Zambia team to pieces
Anyway zed chalo chesu I can’t support Zimbabwe
#team chipolopolo
Leo you are on point.
There is no future in the team and Wonder Wonder(Wada Wada). Thanks to COSAFA for allowing us to play fatigued Tanzanians and soon Zimbabweans.
CHAN out.