Zambia assistant coach Oswald Mutapa has praised the character and mentality of his youthful Chipolopolo side after they edged Malawi 9–8 on penalties to book a place in the final of the Mukuru Four Nations Tournament in Francistown.
The match ended goalless in regulation time before Zambia held their nerve in a tense shootout, with defender Joseph Mulenga converting the decisive penalty to seal victory for the young side.
Speaking after the match, Mutapa said the performance was more about resilience and growth than the final scoreline.
“For me, it’s about the 90 minutes of football. The boys showed a lot of character. We didn’t start very well, but as the game went on, we became more composed and created threatening moments,” Mutapa said.
The assistant coach admitted that Zambia initially struggled to find rhythm but was pleased with how the players settled and managed the game as it progressed.
“Even going into penalties, the boys showed a strong mentality. We didn’t specifically train for penalties, but they handled the pressure very well,” he added.
Zambia’s young squad gradually grew into the contest after a cautious start. The two sides went into the break level at 0–0 in what was a balanced first half.
Chipolopolo improved after the restart and began to show greater attacking intent, with striker Mandanji lively in the final third as he pressed Malawi’s defence high up the pitch. The ZANACO forward thought he had broken the deadlock in the 83rd minute, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
With neither side able to find a breakthrough in normal time, the contest was decided from the penalty spot.
Malawi missed two penalties during the shootout while Zambia had one miss through midfielder Luka Mutoshi. However, the Chipolopolo remained composed in sudden death before Mulenga stepped up to score the decisive kick.
Mutapa said the tournament is proving to be an important platform for assessing the next generation of Zambian talent.
“The future is bright. We brought an under-23 side with a few experienced local players. These are the kinds of matches that help us assess and grow our players. Our projection is long-term, and this is a good start,” he said.
Malawi coach Kalisto Pasuwa also welcomed the tournament, describing it as a valuable competition for teams in the Southern African region.
“These are the kind of competitions we have been crying for in Southern Africa. Other regions like West and North Africa have such tournaments, and they help in assessing teams,” Pasuwa said.
Zambia will now shift focus to Tuesday’s final as the young Chipolopolo continue their preparations with an eye on future competitions, including the Olympic Games.
