Sate Sate helps U23 to victory against Botswana

Zambia qualified to the final round of the Senegal 2015 CAN U23 Championship qualifiers with a 3 – 1 aggregate win over Botswana after they beat the visitors 2 – 0 on Sunday afternoon.

Egypt based striker Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba scored a goal and created one for Kelvin Mubanga as Zambia romped to victory with a confident display.

Coach Fighton Simukonda made changes to the team which lost to Nigeria at home in the All Africa Games qualifiers at Heroes Stadium this time playing US based midfielder Benson Sakala in central defense while Changala gave way for Red Arrows Benedict Chepeshi at right back.

Green Buffaloes holding midfielder Jack Chirwa owned the holding role in the game while Patson Daka who arrived last night from South Africa with the Cosafa squad walked straight into the starting line-up to partner Sate Sate.

But it was Zanaco striker Moses Phiri starting on the left side of attack who looked the more threatening in the first half with his in-field runs and came close with a ferocious shot which was well saved.

Mubanga, who was also not part of the team that played Nigeria, on the right wing brought a lot of impetus in attack but his dribbles and runs into the box ended in nothing as the Tswanas had packed the defence for the first half to end goalless.

Zambia did not allow the visitors to settle after the restart and a good ball into the box found Sate Sate who manage to force a goal under pressure from his marker soon after the restart.

After the goal, Zambia were knocking the ball around more confidently and left Botswana chasing shadows and it wasn’t long before Botswana almost conceded an own goal after Sate Sate led Zambia on a swift counter attack with his final ball finding Mubanga but a desperate clearance by the Tswana defender came off the upright.

A minute later it was Sate Sate again who set up Mubanga who this time made no mistake and blasted home from within the box.

There were substitute appearance for Larry Bwalya who came close to scoring with stinging shot which the keeper failed to handle, Patrick Ngoma who brought some excitement on the pitch but failed to convert when a cross found him unmarked on the penalty spot and Lubambo Musonda who came in for injured Sate Sate and looked effective on the right wing.

Zambia will now host Ivory Coast on July 18 in the final round qualifier and the return leg will follow on August in Abidjan.

The winner over the two legs will qualify to the second edition of the CAF U 23 Cup to be held in Senegal this December where the four finalists at that tournament will advance to the 2017 Rio Olympics.

Zambia XI v Botswana
16.Toaster Nsabata – 4.Boyd Mkandawire 3.Benedict Chepeshi 13. Kayawe Kapota 12. Benson Sakala.- 10.Shadreck Malambo 14.Jackson Chirwa.- 18.Moses Phiri (Larry Bwalya) 9.Ronald Kampamba (Lubambo Musonda) 6.Patson Daka (Patrick Ngoma) 17.Kelvin Mubanga.