A Ten man Zambia U23 side held Ivory Coast to a goalless draw away in Abidjan in the third and final round of the Senegal CAF U23 Championship qualifier played on Saturday afternoon.
Napsa Stars tough tackling full back Boyd Mkandawire was given a red card in the 64th minute after receiving a second yellow card, first for an infringement while the second for delaying the match.
Coach Fighton Simukonda approached the game punch for punch with a strong midfield which had Jack Chirwa and Shadreck Malambo to add steel while Mukuka Mulenga provided the creativity in the middle of the pack with Kelvin Mubanga playing wide. Patson Daka partnered Ronald Kampamba in front.
After Zambia went down to ten men, Fighton Simukonda rang changes which saw Bernard Mapili come in for Kampamba. Salulani Phiri also came in for Shadreck Malambo.
Despite the pressure, Zambia held on to a precious draw which they will take into the second leg to be played at Nkoloma stadium.
The winners at this stage will qualify for the final tournament of the African U-23 Championship scheduled for 28 November to 12 December in Senegal, where the top three teams will represent Africa at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and the fourth placed team facing an Asian side in a playoff.
Zambia XI
16. Toaster Nsabata – 4. Boyd Mkandawire, 3. Benedict Chepeshi, 13. Kapota Kayawe, 12. Benson Sakala, 11. Shadreck Malambo (Salulani Phiri), 10. Mukuka Mulenga, 14. Jackson Chirwa, 9. Ronald Kampamba (Bernard Mapili), 20. Patson Daka, 17. Kelvin Mubanga
Unused Substitutes:
1. Kenny Mumba 6. Friday Samu 18. Moses Phiri 8. Bruce Musakanya 7. Patrick Ngoma
Well done boys…please let us avoid a repeat of the Nigeria game in the return leg
whoever is coach for under 23 is good, that’s how you lineup and substitute.
Good job lads,keep on keeping up and hope you finish the job at by wiring them big time.
Well done guys
Atlest guys,
We have not yet qualified!! That is what happened even against Nigeria 2 months ago in the All Africa Games qualifiers! We drew 0-0 with them in Lagos and we got roasted 2-1 at home and Nigeria qualified at our expense. For us to qualify to the next stage, we need to beat the Ivorians! And only hard work and tactical shrewdness will make us do that!! Lets not celebrate yet
Well said bosses though ba Kahinga we are allowed to enjoy the view on this current top mountain before we reach the next one mudala!
Ba Prince! Celebrating is not a problem but we nid to kip in mind that the job has to b finishhed. I have alot of confidence in ths team! There is a lot of potential! Remindsme of the 2003 Under 23 intake of Isaac Chansa, Mweene, Katongo brothers, Chivuta etc! They can do it
if this team can be kept together and exposed to more games then we will be celebrating again in the future
Good result.
But I tot I would read something like “10-man Zambia hold OVERHYPED Ivory Coast in Abidjan”. Remember that funny headline from the game between Nigeria and Zambia in Abuja.
still injured by that headline
Just a reflection on the one-skewness of Zambian reporting. Overhyped Nigeria proved they deserve to be overhyped by showing ZAMBIA the exit door in their own backyard.
Well done Zambia, hope de next game will be the best ever. Gudluck.
Jst looking from afar
Good results. Though its not yt over. Hope we won’t see a repeat of wht happend when we hosted Naija.
Sir Paradox, great pic indeed … what a safety latches! blessed evening and viva to the Y-Chipolopolo boys. Shalom
Ivory coast ll come and DISMANTLE this high school team in Ndola!!
They packed the bus in Abidjan but at home, they ll open up and that’s where I.coast ll disable this team lol
Zambian football has gone down to the drain. I am no longer interested. There is too much corruption at our Fa and our boys are failing to break into European leagues.
@ John I think it is not accurate to say you’re no longer interested as it is evident that you’re still following proceedings of the zambian game. I think just like most of us you’re really disappointed with the current state of affairs though. I feel your pain
ivory coast after tellin the world that they had recivd 60 applications . Now 2de we hear le roy claude who was not on their list,is their target
Anxiously waiting for the 2nd leg @ Heroes Stadium n I hope the boys will deliver.
However ,I query the use of Nkoloma stadium as I feel it might be too small for a game of this magnitude.
An away goal could have been a better cushion for us. Since we didn’t score you cannot allow them to score at home because it will mean suicide! So we need to score two unanswered goals or go up to three!
Am not comfortable with the situation cause ivory coast don’t have to win in Zambia for them to qualify if you know what I mean while Zambia doesn’t have that luxury so pressure will be on us to win which I think isn’t a very good situation… I would have loved to be in ivory coast’s position where even a 1 all draw is enough & i know these west Africans are well cable of achieving that result away from home
Very true. That’s why I’d still go with the 4-5-1 formation. It’s a game that will need patience and tactical discipline. Our defence will need protection. I have every hope that we will create scoring chances but what worries me is whether we can convert those chances into goals and whether we can keep another clean sheet. This is a one off match and we need to do whatever it takes to win.
WELL DONE GUYS AND I WISH YOU SAFE JOURNEY.
In my case I see nothing to celebrate or to be happy because ivory coast is on the advantage side, once they score one here then for us we need to score 3 and that is the reason why they packed the bus at home, the best thing that we should have done is to score 1 or 2 goal but as it is now I doubt if we are going to make it remember what happened with Negeria.pliz ba coach you should always be aiming to have an away goal
thats the way
I get worried when a player is suspended in that fashion. A yellow carded player must not be allowed to do the following among others: 1. Take free kicks (in open play) 2.take throw ins . Zambia has been found wanting in this area on several times. Whose responsibility is it to ensure that only the right things are done with respect to the issue at hand? : 1.coaches – this is a tactical aspect.The team mentor has to instill it at training. S/he must also remind the players of it as soon as one of them picks a card and whenever necessary.2.Team Captain – S/he must take charge of coaching fellow players especially the young and new. It is at this time that s/he ensures that the team works towards a common goal by executing the agreed plan.
3.Players-A player is a team member. One in the field is definitel there for the others and vice versa. Reminding each other of the don’ts is crucial. Taking responsibility when a fellow player cannot continue being charged with it is equally important.
Thanks for bringing that up. I was also so mad to hear that Bruce Mkandawire got his 2nd yellow for time wasting. You know you’re on a yellow card already and you decide to tempt the referee with silly things like time wasting. If anything someone else should’ve been doing that and not a player who’s on a yellow card. These are some of the tactical things you expect everyone in the team to know beforehand.
The truth is we can’t score goals,so if our opponent can’t score we celebrate a goalless draw!useless team.the name of football people is to score goals
Good result
Given the context behind the game, the Ivory Coast probably could not have picked worse opponents, because it would appear almost callous to deny Zambia. Unfortunately football doesn’t work like that and all the Ivory Coast can do is focus on the job in hand and not let themselves be affected by outside distractions.