Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Player Rater: Guinea Bissau 2 – 1 Zambia

Zambia suffered a 2-1 defeat to Guinea Bissau in a Group K of Cameroon 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers. The West Africans went top of the Group K on 7 points while Zambia sit bottom with 4 points.

The ZamFoot Crew takes a look at how the Chipolopolo players faired in Bissau.

Kennedy Mweene 6/10 – Conceded twice and should have done better for the second goal.

Solomon Sakala 5/10 – The Zesco United full back gave away the ball far to easily and was sent to the cleaners leading up to Guinea Bissau’ s first goal. He didn’t offer much going forward.

Lawrence Chungu 6/10 – The Buildcon man was comfortable on the ball and kept the ever dangerous Tony Silva quiet.

Kabaso Chungu 7/10 – Arguably Zambia’s best defender on the night again. He produced a world class tackle in the first half to prevent a counter attack and late in the game he picked out his best friend Rainford Kalaba with cross field passes.

Stopilla Sunzu 5.5/10 – From hero to zero for the defence kingpin! He deflated the ball into the back of his own net as he tried to block the cross.

Nathan Sinkala 8/10 – Zambia’s best player on the night as he rolled back the years as a deep lying playmaker. He picked out Justin Shonga with a defence splitting pass as Zambia chased for an equaliser but the Orlando Pirates striker fluffed from close range shot.

Enock Mwepu 7/10 – He was Zambia’s best player in the first 20 minutes with his endurance and cutting age giving the home side problems. He was denied from close range to put Zambia in front after being put through by Shonga. On a rampaging run, he was fouled on the edge of the penalty and from the resulting free-kick, Shonga gave the Chipolopolo the league. He tired a bit in the second half. The 19 year old lost and failed to keep tight to Silva as the Sundowns winger headed the winner .

Augustine Mulenga 6/10– Had one rampaging run down the left flank but apart of that didn’t offer much save for some silk skills in intervals.

Lubambo Musonda 5/10– Came up against his club-mate and the 23 year old was dreadful in possession. He lost a lot balls didn’t put in a single cross. Failed to build from the his performance four days ago. A disappointing performance.

Clatous Chama 5.5/10 – Tripple C failed to stamp his authority in the hole – just off Shonga.

Justin Shonga 6.5/10 – Calmly slotted in a superb free kick in the 12th minute to make it four goals in as many games. For the rest of the 78 minutes, Shonga failed to hit target. While Brian Mwila had 8 goals in 10 appearances last year, the former Nkwazi forward took his tally to 8 goals in 13 international caps. It’s still some record.

 

Substitutes:

Patson Daka 5/10 – Came in for the ineffective Lubambo but he was played out of position on the right flank. Spent more time chasing the left back as the defender over lapped. Had a chance at the edge of the box but ballooned it wide.

Lazarous Kambole 5/10 – Replaced Augustine Mulenga in the 80th minute and only touched the ball twice.

Rainford Kalaba 6.7/10 – Came on for Clatous Chama and for the 12 minutes he was on the pitch, the 32 year old Kitwe born did more from wide positions than either Mulenga or Lubambo. Kalaba wasn’t fit to start as he has been carrying soft tissue injury.

 

Sven Vandenbroeck-6/10- The Belgian trainer left it late to make his substitutions.

With over 30 minutes to play for, Zambia still maintained the 4-3-3 formation with Patson Daka at the right wing and yet Sven could have switched to the traditional 4-4-2.

He should have sent Clatous Chama wide and allow Patson drift inwards and pair Shonga.

Zambia only started threatening in the final 10 minutes as he finally decided to go two upfront.Kambole joined Shonga finally.

In the last five minutes, why not risk by sending Sunzu upfront and feature as a centre forward.

Zambia lacked the height in the final third and Sunzu could have offered that aerial threat as Zambia went more direct or route one.

Vandenbroeck has now picked four points from a possible nine.

By the way good build up from the back for the lads.

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7 Comments

  1. My faith in this coach and this team is waning fast. Zambia is too talented to not be winning such games and way too talented to be bottom of a group that includes Mozambique and Namibia.

    The only saving grace here is that there is enough youth in this team to build on, but Vandenbroeck has to do better. He needs to improve his reading of the game which he is not doing right now. Also, it sounds like he let his team step off the gas after the goal…this team is better going forward and pressuring than they are getting into a defensive shell. I guess tukalatamba fye 2019…at least we might have Renard to watch again.

  2. There is no need to pretend and continue Mweene in goal? He has run his race but the poor performance is as a result of his innsctivity at Sundowns. That’bench game’ has not helped going forward! Let’s take the bull by the horn; his form has deteriorated and Sundowns must be wondering where he draws the experience to feature in goal for Zambia. Let’s throw a young keeper in the deep end.

  3. I agree with Slim, this Mweene is costing us alot. Its like his mind is never present in the game. That second goal where he could not even move an inch but remained standing watching the ball is a sure sign of how rigid and inactive Mweene has become. Please lets just find another keeper who is active at his club and build him right up in the deep. As for Mweene, no no no!!!! He is more than his football age at the moment.

  4. I think its unfair to callout Mweene. The second goal was a clean header, tell me which keeper could have saved that. That was the defenders duty to ensure that the striker does not get a clean header not the keeper. Watch the highlights again and you will see what I am talking about.

    I agree we need to groom Mweene’s replacement but truth be told no one is stepping up with any sort of consistency. I must say Toaster has been in the fold for a while now, maybe just maybe we could look to him but as for now and the near future no goalie comes close Mweene. The game was not lost due to Mweene, too many players took their foot off the pedal causing the opposition to close us down with attacks in our own half resulting in goals. We have never known how to defend a lead even at the junior levels, we play true to the old adage offence is the best defense. For a period in the game we were overrun in midfield, they just kept coming through us. Then Mr. Solomon Sakala was putting more energy into emotion than energy into the game on the right back.
    We lost what could possibly be our sign-off out of the Afcon.

  5. Zamfoot if you continue giving fake ratings you will destroy our football. Thats false and malicious change acts and stop pretending. You are not covering all players who are performing in diaspora as a result the coach is working with some tourist the likes musakanya and company.

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