Zambia won the bragging rights in the battle of Zambezi after a smash and grab win over neighbours Zimbabwe in Rwanda 2016 CHAN Championship in Rubavu at Umuganda Stadium.
Below the ZamFoot Crew takes a look at how the players fared in the Group D opener.
Jacob Banda – 6.5– He produced a world class save in the first half that kept Zambia in the game after Stephen Kabamba was disposed at the edge of the penalty box. He came off his line early on a one to one situations and that put off the attackers. His aerial strength has also improved and did a good job on set pieces.
Dauti Musekwa -4.5- It wasn’t the best game for the Zesco United utility veteran. He was jittery and didn’t offer anything both defensive or going forward. To many back and square passes.
Stephen Kabamba -5- Defense wise, he was poor. Together with Musekwa, both need to improve against Uganda on Saturday. His overlapping play was spot and could have ended with an assist. Best crosser of the ball in that Zambia team and offered width to the team. This was his 6th cap.
Buchizya Mfune -5- He didn’t look comfortable on the ball and his passes were misplaced whenever he tried to play out of defence. Having spent most of his career in the midfield, more was expected from him as a ball playing centre back.
Adrian Chama -6.5- He cleared off the line in the second half. Though the linesman saved Zambia a bit on offside, Chama’s quick movement during the offside traps was spot on. He was calm and collective. He was the only plus in that backline.
Jack Chirwa -5.5- Handed the holding midfielder role. Chirwa is the reason why at Buffaloes they had to revert Buchizya to central defence but going by his showing yesterday, the boy seems like a centre back and not a midfielder.
Salulani Phiri -7.5 – It wasn’t an eye catching display from the Zanaco man but he was the best on the pitch. Playing in unfamiliar role as a double no.8 with Isaac Chansa, he did well. He run through the channels to support play upfront. He had two shots on target. Is he becoming the new ‘Mr Reliable’?
Isaac Chansa -7- Scored his first goal at a major tournament for Zambia. Spent the second half on the right wing in what appeared like a diamond midfield at some point.
Mwape ‘Tozizi’ Mwelwa -6.5- Zambia’s most intelligent and skilful player on the player didn’t really come to the party but showed glimpses. Get him in that no.10 role and no need to waste his talent wide.
Clatus Chota Chama Jnr -6- He run his socks off but didn’t stamp his authority on the game. Combined well with Kabamba down the left flank to cross for Chris Katongo for Zambia’s first real chance. Then he supplied the assist for Chansa’s goal.
Chris Katongo -6.5- His technique on heading was amazing and could have grabbed one for Zambia out of nothing. He was a bit isolated in the first half and when he dropped in the hole to play behind Conlyde Luchanga. From the 77th to 79th, Zambia passed the ball well for over 27 passes.And guesses who ended the sequence?… the boss!
The celebration was off the hook again…stuff one can only dream on. Then leading and instructing his teammates to applaud the Rwandese fans inside the Stadium was spot on.
Substitutes
Conlyde Luchanga -5- Came on for Isaac Chansa and played for 32 minutes.
Spencer Sautu -5- Replaced Tozizi and nothing to show off.
Lwandamina’s Tactics -6.5-
It was unnecessary to start with Salulani, Chansa and Chirwa in a midfield three. Lwandamina tried this at Nkoloma Stadium during training sessions though he had Adrian Chama in place of Chirwa and it didn’t work.
In the second half he tried to rectify his mistake and switched Chansa and Tozizi positions, and Zambia started to play well a bit.
After the Kenya game, one of the members of the Zambia bench said, “We are tired of playing well and then losing the game pa last.”
With Lwandamina, he doesn’t put much emphasis on how his team plays but it’s about getting the result. And so far he has done just that with. And he hasn’t mourned about the lack of quality players in the league. He is doing with what he has.
Good start Bashi Mofya!
daudi 4.5 are you serious …you clearly didn’t pay attention to his game…i think you have underrated most of the players too
no they are right, he didn’t do much good and we could have concided because of him
Aba bola BA bola
Go zambia Go the played very gud yerstday katongo was the man of the mach
The ratings are generally spot on. The defense was very jittery. The midfield was average. The attacking options were limited. Average display all round. There was a time when Zim was trying to equalise and a quick thinking team would have punished them on the counter but we were more content with playing at the back. We were definitely lucky in this game, on another day Zim would have easily scored capitalising on the uncertainty in defense.
For me I feel kabamba did well at left back his far much beter than Chipeshi. His strong on the ball and was probably the best crosser of the ball in the game.
The team needs to improve. The Uganda game will only be twice as fierce.
The 3 points was nice but all focus is on the next game where the team must be ready.
musekwa ed kabamba let us support them they will get used. But my problem now is mfune, he was suppose 2 command the back line but failed. The debate continues who is better munthali or him
Munthali is better all those planks who were used in defence
we need to improve more especialy in central defence we need munthali to partener mfune not chama, he is a suspect.
chama is gud he was born as a defender. In the near future let da coach try him wth munthali o sunzu. Mfune age is not wth him, but adrian is young ed promising.
but why put munthali on the bench. The guy is seasoned with many features at senior level and quality
Zimbabwe nd zambia re the weekest teams in this group it wont b eazie we need muntali in defence, i think chris is still there than most of the players at national level, kabamba this guy is good he can improve leave chipeshi out, mwape mwelwa very inteligent am disapointed on those underating musekwa to me he was very busy, i ve seen portantial here the difence, not bad midfied good striking suspect thanks to chris he made them bussy
our players are just too small. i dont see this chan giving us anything. its an afcon dress rehearsal with no proven benefits. we need to stop embracing mediocrioty and start to qualify for world cup under 17 and 20.
u cant have a team of 11 and 7 are tiny midgets and u say u have a future. anyway, average perfomance overall looking at the size of our players.
#hh 2016
zambian football is just finished. a defender is supposed to look like kapambwe mulenga or mordon malitoli. not these malnourished guys iam seen. we shall remain a small team in football if we dont step up team identification. but i like the expirience cris and isaac have brought to the team. if i was george would maintain all players who are over thirty in the team
#hh 2016
I don’t think the player rater is true especially on Luchanga and Sautu they have same rates with players who played 90 minutes.Luchanga did nothing even Sautu atleast waste sometime at the end of the match.Dnt rate players the way you like them.
I don’t think the player rater is true especially on Luchanga and Sautu they have same rates with players who played 90 minutes.Luchanga did nothing even Sautu atleast waste sometime at the end of the match.Dnt rate players the way you like them be professional enough.Lawadamina stratege is not to lose a ball midfield its the reason he used chansa,Chirwa and Salulani.
I dont know how Luchanga got the 5. Is this a joke or what? How
many accurate passes did he make? Dauti Musekwa had an average game. Spencer was not even supposed to be rated. To me only Isaac and Salulani performed
above average.
Lwandamina should recall Katongo n Chansa to the senior team. We need quality players on the bench not trialists.
Guys lets criticize objectively .I have seen teams which smaller in size than this Zambian win tournament time after time .Stumpy in this zambian side player for player if i was to compare with the barca that just won the world club championship i would conclude that we have a taller squad.The fact is football is never about size but what you can do with the ball.
At times the control of the game was there. If iam correct we had more ball possession as well. Go Zambia!
Dauti Musekwa as the name says was doubtfull of himself, possibly amazed by the dribbling skills of the “sekulu boys” should be replaced in the next game or will be a weak link for the Squad, ba coach.
Well done for Zambia. One bone I will pick with my zamfoot brethren is that you are quick to put out player raters when Zambia wins, but seldom do so if Zambia lose. I think it is important to assess both, if not assess losses more than it is to assess winning.