The Zambia U23 will today look to pick a vital win over Ivory Coast in a 2015 Senegal U23 CAF Championship qualifier.
Zambian team showed resilience in Abidjan when they held to to pick a point despite finishing the game with ten men on the field.
Fighton Simukonda’s team displayed high tactical discipline and looked good on the ball making the hosts look second best. The Zambian defense was remarkable in the first leg with the midfield anchored by Shadreck Malambo showing a lot of vigilance both going forward and when defending. Today, the defense will have to do without left back Boyd Mkadawire who was red carded after two bookable offences in the first leg.
Ivory Coast assistant coach Rigo Gervais blamed his teams failure to collect maximum points on his attackers;
“We failed in attack in the first leg. The players have showed serious blunders in attack, “he said.
Zambia will have to watch-out for Junior Gbagbo Sonogo, Mohamed Viera, Assalé Roger, Chris Bilé Bedia and Bayo Vakoun all who had chances to score in the first leg but only came close.
The current Ivory Coast team has not had much joy on the road as their last outing this year ended in a 2 – 1 loss at the hands of Burkina Faso at a time Zambia was losing to Nigeria by a similar scoreline against in the All Africa Games qualifiers. The young Elephants have not won a match this year.
Simukonda has however made changes to his side since the home to Nigeria bringing in the likes of Benson Sakala, Jack Chirwa, Kelvin Mubanga amongst the talented young lads in the Zambian lads.
While Zambia has only named two foreign based players in the squad, Ivory Coast have nine of the 18 players in their team playing outside the country.
The CAF U23 Championship providing the platform for qualification to the 2016 Rio Olympics, Zambia will be happy to eliminate the baby elephants at this stage who knocked them out of the qualifiers to the 2008 Olympics.
Zambian Squad:
Goalkeepers: Toaster Nsabata (Zanaco), Kenny Mumba (Red Arrows)
Defenders: Benedict Chepeshi (Red Arrows), Kayawe Kapota (Nkana), Benson Sakala (Power Dynamos), Benard Mapili (Zesco United), Solomon Sakala (Kabwe Warriors), Mweene Mumbi
Midfielders: Jackson Chirwa (Green Buffaloes), Shadreck Malambo (Red Arrows), Kelvin Mubanaga (Power Dynamos), Mukuka Mulenga (Bloemfontein Celtic), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows), Salulani Phiri (Zanaco), Charles Zulu (Zanaco), Jacob Ngulube (Mufulira Wanderers)
Strikers: Moses Phiri (Zanaco), Patson Daka (Power Dynamos), Friday Samu (Green Buffaloes), Ronald Kampamba (Wadi
Ivory Coast Squad
Goalkeepers; Diabagate Seck Aboubakar (Afad, Vic), Bamba Drissa (Stadium Abidjan, Vic)
Defenders: Britto Dagou Willie (Asi Of Abengourou, Vic), Diallo Ismael Jean Chester (Bastia, Fra), Franck Kessie Yannick (Atalanta Bergamo De, Ita), Jimoh Sheriff Olatunde (Athletic Adjamé Civ), Abdel Rhamane Diarra (Strasbourg, Fra), Kouame Koffi Constant (Afad, Vic)
Midfielders: Maiga Digbo Habib (St Etienne, Fra), Nguessan Yao Serge (Afad, Vic), Ahoulou Jean Eudes (Orlean Foot, Fra), Sangare Ibrahima (Denguélé, Vic),
Forwards: Niangbo Degbole Anderson (Afad, Vic), Roger Assale Claver (Tp Mazembe, Drc), Bayo Vakoum Youssouf (Stadium Abidjan, Vic), Bedia Chris Bile (Tours Fc Fra), Souleymane Coulibaly (Peterborough, Ang), Sanogo Mohamed Vieira (Rsberkane, Mar)
Let the show begin!
lets go boys. LETS DO THIS!!!!!!
Is znbc going to it?
Paradox my brother, i love my national team Zambia. But lets call a big spoon, big spoon not a shavel. A 0-0 all draw away gives advantage to the ivorians as they only need a scoring draw in Zambia. Still, lets pray 4 Zambia’s win.
lets forget wat took place against Nigeria. we have learnt lessons. the only problem though is the strike force
Zambia Vs Ivory Coast (My views/opinion)
The game between Zambia under 23 and the Ivory Coast will be a tricky one. The chances of any of the 2 qualifying are in my view 50/50. My opinion is based on the last game against Nigeria where we drew 0-0 away and were beaten 2-1 at home. Ivory Coast will come with the same system of play like Nigeria did. Their plan is known to anyone with common sense. The young elephants are not coming to Zambia to play an open all flat out attacking game, NO, they will pack the bus and let Zambia do the attack. I read the other day in one of the Zambian tabloids that coach Simukonda will instruct the boys to go on the pitch and launch an all flat out attack. Coach Simukonda that plan is suicide. You can not attack flat out and at the same time keep the away team from scoring
All we need is to win within 90 minutes by whatever margin, that is the aim in todays game. My advice is that we should defend well and utilize the chances that will come our way. Dead ball / corner kicks must be taken full advantage of. We should at all costs avoid forcing things trying to get a goal, instead use our senses during the course of this game. We should know when to attack and not just pump the ball forward. Players should at all costs avoid playing to the public gallery as this game is not about which player was good at joggling and dazzling the opponents but about defending with sense while searching for goals
Therefore our players should forget about playing to the crowd but concentrate on team work and what is going on the pitch. And if we score a goal let us not over celebrate like the game is over and we have won it. Wait for those wild celebrations until the sound of the final whistle. It is not a secrete that some teams over celebrate when they score a goal but when at the end they loose, they really look foolish. Sorry but it is the truth
Mark my words should we rush things and play to entertain / impress the fans / scouts then we will have issues and the game will end either as a goal draw or even a loss. I repeat the Western Africans will leave the initiative to us, but we should not take that with a kiss, we have to be very, very careful not to fall into their trap
To the players my advice is that do not feel to be under pressure just because of the experience you had in the game against Nigeria as that is past, forget it. This is another game so go on the pitch with a fresh mind and focus on the task at hand, this way you will carry the day
And coach don’t just sit pa bench go mu ka box and issue instructions to the players
I know football is not easy for the one playing and one who is watching, a player on the pitch has to make a decision within seconds, those watching would say if I were the player I would have done this and that. Good for me that I played football before
I wish you the best with the song “Kanselele”, and my own song “Kankaseshe aka mupila”
NB: Is the game being shown online and what time is the kick off? 15:00 hours I suppose. Thanks
Reply
“While Zambia has only named two foreign based players in the squad, Ivory Coast have nine of the 18 players in their team playing outside the country”
@Zamfoot, Did these 9 players not play in the first game??
this is a crucial encounter yet ba fighton u go and pick abaiche u should have gone for experience am told aaron katebe is 23 which makes eligible to play shadreck musonda,richard djemba kasonde(nkana),saitth sakala(Napsa),spencer sautu,adamson mulawo(eagles),aubrey chamulwanda(rangers),martin tembo(napsa),kangwa chileshe(buffaloes),bonewell silungwe,cletous chama(zesco) all these playersare below 23 yet u go and call young boys from under 20 awe twalamona efyo chalaba
its nice to see the zamfoot legend give an analysis of the game. thanks uncle justice. we need more of that
Puncherello Chama
ZAMBIA’S UNDER 23 STRIKERS ARE NOT REGULARS AT THEIR ZSL CLUBS
After taking a look at the Zambian Under 23 Team called up. Charles Zulu, Moses Phiri, Friday Samu, Patrick Ngoma and Patson Daka were the names called up.
In total the entire Under 23 Players have scored 11 Goals in the ZSL this 2015 Campaign, what is more disappointing was that it took till week 5 for Bruce Musakanya and Charles Zulu to become the first players from this squad to score.
Moses Phiri is the Topscorer in the group scoring 3 Goals followed by Charles Zulu on 2 goals and midfielder Salulani Phiri on 2 Goals as well.
Despite Moses scoring 3 goals he is not a regular at Zanaco and has to fight for a place with Natthews Macha and Uritibe Archibing, Charles Zulu is also not a regular at Zanaco, Patson Daka is a regular when he was at Rangers but hasn’t scored a goal while he began his debut with Power Dynamos on the bench, Patrick Ngoma is another player who is not a regular at Red Arrows and starts a lot of its games on the bench.
The only regular striker if foreign based Ronald ” Sate Sate” Kampamba who plays more on the wing as his Wadi Degla club.
Looking at Under 23 Strikers in the ZSL, Fashion Sakala ( 5 Goals) and 17 Year old Conlyde Luchanga ( 6 Goals) have equalled the entire number of goals scored by all current Under 23 Players who play in the ZSL.
It remains to be seen whether Zambia’s Under 23 strikeforce can deliver.
Zambia delighted in winning their first Africa Cup of Nations title by beating tournament favourites Ivory Coast on penalties. After 14 kicks were converted, Kolo Toure and Gervinho failed to find the target for the Elephants as Zambia s Rainford Kalaba also blazed over.