Monday, October 14, 2024

U23 AFCON: Zambia end horrendous outing with loss to Senegal

The Zambia U23 national ended their horrendous outing to the CAF U23 championship with a third successive defeat when they went down 1 – 0 against hosts Senegal.

Fighton Simukonda made four changes to the team that lost 3 – 2 to South Africa with Kenny Mumba coming in for captain Toaser Nsabata in goal while Solomon Sakala, Salulani Phiri and Patrick Ngoma started ahead of Boyd Mkandawire, Benson Sakala and Spencer Sautu respectively.

The changes however yielded to nothing as the young Chipolopolo were down as early as the 4th minute through a Mahamadou Diallo header.

The Zambian team will be back on the next flight home having conceded 6 goals and scoring three goals to end the group stage rock bottom without a point while Senegal qualify with a 100 % record (9 points).

Elsewhere in group A, South Africa peeped Tunisia to a place in the semi finals after they won the deciding match between the two by a goal to end the group stage on 6 points while Tunisia have three.

Zambia v Senegal U23 stats
Zambia 0 – 1 Senegal: Match statistics

 

Zambia will now have to wait for another four years before they can have a chance to challenge for a place at the Olympics again.

Zambia Starting XI v Senegal

1. Kenny Mumba 3.Benedict Chepeshi 5.Solomon Sakala 18.Billy Mutale 13.Kapota Kayawe (Benson Sakala) 7.Salulani Phiri (C) 15. Paul Katema 11.Lubambo Musonda 2.Patrick Ngoma (Friday Samu) 9.Ronald Kampamba (Spencer Sautu) 17.Conlyde Luchanga

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45 Comments

  1. It’s time for Kalusha to go this is too much now I’m embarrassed I don’t think I’ll be commenting on this site for a while I need a break this is very humiliating.

  2. Amalabishi
    I was watching the game with my son en he asked me a question
    “Dad why cant they pass to their team mates?”
    Even a seven yr old boy could read the game but the coaches…
    Am filled with rage at the selection of the players who can’t think and this administration throwing them into the seep at the expense of the nation’s pride
    Thank you kalu not your administration but you have overstayed your welcome
    We need overall overhaul
    Am just thinking how do we protest aya amalabishi administration ?

  3. We are the only team in this afcon with more 1st team regulars and still cnt qualify?told you guys we still have a long way to go,this giant talk is sickening….RSA have a good squad even without their european regular stars,Lebo Mothiba(lille),Nana Ntuli(fc twente),kgosi nhle(peterborough),lebo phiri(brondby),ty sandows(gremio),mike koopowitzw(nike academy,england)),siph mdlalose(southampton),thibang phete(vitoria guimaraes)..RSA future looks bright,more than tht of ours while we still overhyping likes of phiri,luchanga,daka,kalengo..other countries are investing and being patient

  4. We have to wait another 20 years for us to lift the afcon cup because at the moment we don’t have the future senior national team.Kuwayawayafye.

  5. With this admin & quality of coaches, if Zesco & Zanaco will only go up to group stages, if not, preliminary round
    MARK MY WORDS. It all things falling apart in Zed coz the core of activities (the economy) is in ICU.

  6. The sad part about Zambian football is that most of your under 23 play for the senior team , and then some people think Zambia will qualify for the world cup.

    • Don’t worry about certain Zambians who try to hype themselves and feel good about the team. Zambia is not going to the world cup. They say history repeats itself, ad for Zambia it has been repeating itself and it will still repeat itself.

  7. What did the overated Lubumba musonda do in this tornament? how about Patrick “the next kluivert” Dhaka do?the rest I don’t know enough to comment on.

  8. All our teams lost in the first round, U20,U23 and Senior team. Yet some still advocate to stay the course. Kalusha is taking everyone for a ride and some will still sing his praises or blame other sources for our mediocrity. Weather you give these guys 20 prep matches or camp them in the most lavish ultra-sports facility they will still give u the same reason. Why? Because our coaches/administrators and players are not up to par. It’s that simple, it starts from the top and goes down the ladder. Look at the local league. 1ST ROUND ELIMINATION IN ALL CAF CUPS. National teams same thing, yet Kalusha says we need to start preparing and stay focused. On what?????? Evans Kangwa, Mbola, Katebe are not these players U23……? If so why were they not in Senegal? were the players selected the best representation on the best talent in this category in the land????? Are we that hopeless? we have 10 Months until the WC qualifiers……..WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT NOW!!!!! Lwandamina will not lead us to the promised land and neither will Kalusha. Kalusha is in this for his own self-promotion and Zambia and its football is just a secondary thing or better yet A MEANS TO AN END.

    Until a local coach takes a local team to the CAF champions league final, he should not be allowed anywhere near coaching the national team period. Because the success of the local league is a reflection of our football strength. People of this blog harp on about other countries and local coaches especially the North Africans…….WELL THE NORTH AFRICANS HAVE CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMED and won continental cups with local coaches more reason for them to appoint local coaches to the helm of the national team. All this talk about lack of funding, well what’s Kaushal’s job??? If he is well renowned worldwide and has all these connections he has forged over a lifetime in the game, why can’t he raise enough funds OR come up with a strategy to hire a foreign coach or find moneys for such a venture??? Does he not have connections or favors to call in??? What about the CONGOLE……?? He is so adept at getting congole, why can’t he get such funds for a serious national team coach??? And please do not bring Renard back!! I love the man but we have already ridden that tiger!!!

    Ati stay the course….!!!! Are we really that stupid??? Does he think we are that stupid??? Wait I think he does think we are that stupid!!!!!!!!Over the summer I was in Zambia and I happen to be at the airport when kalusha came in from Joberg for the U23 game against Ivory coast. The smug look on his face said it all……… I am king and I am here. I started to think then, all the expenses for flights and hotel stay, who is footing those expenses??????????????????? It’s close to 8-9 years at the helm for him correct? All those trips and accommodation expenses…!! Why? Listen to me PEOPLE the man lives in SOUTH AFRICA yet he is president of the FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA. Is there something wrong with this picture?????? Where else in Africa is the possible? Can you be an effective leader if you live elsewhere?? No at all, yet we are tolerating such brazen disrespect.

    I could go on and on but I wonder if Kalusha himself can give an honest account of what we have accomplished and where we are headed and how we are going to get there…..!!

  9. Congratulations South Africa wishing you all the best. As for us it’s back to back facing the drawing board …..Go well Amajita you’re the torch bearers of SOUTHERN AFRICA !!

  10. @ Badosqi, i was not impressed with Nigeria vs Egypt game, i see Algeria going through. Nigeria only hope is Mali beating Egypt.

  11. It could happen South Africa may not make the Olympics because of their mentality, They are a talented side who lack killer punch.

  12. South africa is the most talented nation in the whole of southern and when i early said that, they are better and more talented than zambia, fellas took me on but is obvious now to each and sundry that i was right!!

    I just want fellas to remember that, their under 17 recently were afcon finalists and those guys can play football!! Am one person who has always been impressed with south africa and i always hope that, one day, they find that killer instinct to finish off their delightful moves!

    South africa has such an innate football talent and the day, they can have a bit of mental toughness, africa and the world ll take notice!!

    They win this whole thing! They have peak at the right time and none of the team can stop them now!

    Some sorry brothers ll be comparing themselves to south africa but south africa has beaten world giants and not only that WESTERN EUROPEAN GIANTS whi h most african teams find them hard to crack and some has been to the wc several times but has never beaten any WESTERN EUROPEAN SUPERPOWER including yours truly!!!

    South africs has managed to beat the world cup winning spanish team with all their talented players!
    Beaten brazil with the likes of dino, kaka, adriano,robinho etc and remember that aside the olympics where naija succeded in beating brazil, NO OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRY HAS BEATEN THE SNR NATIONAL TEAM OF BRAZIL except south africa!

    Again, in south africa wc, the grandest stage in world football theatre, south africa defy the odds to beat france with the likes of evra, henry, benzema etc and they did it in the most delightful way!

    Has any southern africa nation ever met these teams bf? Lol! Nope!! They outplayed algeria like kids and we all no that, is not easy to outplayed an arab team and they made senegal looked like snails with some serious pace, champagne filled football!!

    Is about that time, fellas start to show south africa some respect!!

    South africa is more talented than some west africa countries and it wldnt take long when they start dominating africa football like never bf!!

  13. The presence of Nigeria is a threat to every side.

    That aside, I want to correct some of us here.One of the reason Zambia has not had it easy over the years is because of the way they have identified their talent. It has been the same for their brothers in South Africa. I am sorry to say some of us still think the way we identify talent in southern africa is okay and that is why we say S.A has the best talent. In football body size and height are a critical factor that “must” be considered along the main factors when identifying talent. Wait until the last game you will see what European talent identification entails. However, was impressed by a couple of players in almost all the sides that are featuring at the ongoing Africa championship games. Some scouts have done a great job considering the fact that those players satisfy almost all of the criteria.

  14. A disappointing performance, for sure, but no need to think the senior Chipolopolo boys can’t make Africa Cup or even World Cup. Go Zambia!

  15. we leant something from that tornament its time to move we have chan which is among competition ahead us no time for pointing fingers congratulation to the group winners.

    • @gaddafi and sly,im still learning,glad @ uor input, time for some pepo to humble themselves cos footballl analysis isnt abt propaganda but fact and this give credence to the saying that FACTS r sacred and COMMENTS r free.

  16. I said it tunisia was the weakest nd we faled to beat them afta dominating the game, if SA plays a noth african country then they re in the finals but at this leval they play any west african then thy ii fall but they ve a place at the olimpics

    • South africa ll qualify to the olympics and win this tournament!!

      Bet me on this and yall should remem2 that i predicted this!

    • frankly speaking,when you have third of the team with senior Chipolopolo
      preparing and playing Sudan when their U23 games team is is in camp,one an not expect them to gel and play as a unit (how much time did the likes of Benedict,Boyd, Lubambo,
      Sautu and Katema etc have to train adequately with the others who were not with senior Chipolopolo (even coach Figton was usually with his head Coach for Africa cup qualifier games). WE cant go on like this .

  17. Slim

    Your opinion is well taken but bro am sometimes surprised that alot of football fans thinks that, stature or form of a player plays football! This is one of the most ridiculous saying by fans!

    Now, if u check football history, all the great teams in the past were made up of shorter players!
    Again, all the GREATEST PLAYERS that ever graced the green turf are the most shortest players!

    Maradonna, world pele, zico, platini, zidane, abedi pele and of course messi! I can go on and on!

    The brazilian team that has been considered as the greatest football national team ever aside the recent spanish inquisition, were made up of some of the shortest players the world has ever seen but that didnt prevented them from been great!

    The spanish inquisition team, the world cup winning squad is another example of swashbuckling dwarf team that plays to their strength so your argument doesnt hold water!

    Now, if u take a critical look at west africa players, most of them are tall but most of these tall teams in west africa has done nothing in afcon as well as in world football! Burkina, niger, chad etc are very tall people but they are veey weak!

    Is also a well known fact that, short players or strikers are more dangerous than taller players because the former is not easily picked up and marked whiles taller players are easily marked out!!

    Zambia beat ghana, senegal, i.coast made up of giant players and that alone defeats your assertions!!

    Zambia and other south africa nations are not up to par because they are not good enough!

    They are technically good but TACTICALLY POOR AND JUST AS IN BOXING, your tactical make up ll determine who u become!

    Is not easy to forego what u were taught from the basics! When the pressure gets to some of these players, they tactically recoil and COLLAPSE!!

    • @ Gaddafi, that’s very true about soccer. Being big and tall means nothing , I’ve had a little debate on it. Lean, short people are mostly versatile and they possess high adrenal glands which endures for a long time as compared to the big and taller counterparts. The game of soccer is 90mins of running and not including extra time if necessary. Haha

  18. @ gadaffi : the players you mentioned as examples of successful yet being small were actually not small. Size here does not refer to height alone.It also includes weight.The Maradonas and Peles you are mentioning were quiet heavier than most of the players we parade in Southern Africa as the best talent. These players can’t protect possession of the ball. They , for most of the time, come out second best on tussles such as shoulder charge. In football a player ought to force matters by bulldozing his way through a thicket of opponents but that is highly possible when the size of the player(weight) allows.

    A good example is in the case of Zambia itself. Sate Sate could have done extremely well if his person was carrier in a bigger body than what he is. Mbesuma is surviving the riguors that finish up strikers because of his size. The Zambia of the yester years had pretty stocky players in Kenneth Malitoli, Johnstone Bwalya who despite height shortcomings their muscular bodies gave them an edge over their opponents in tussles.

    Think Afcon ’96 in S.A. S.A had a good crop of players that combined a good physique and skill. David Nyathi, Augustine, Sizwe, Masunga, Buthelezi etc.

    Senegal is another nation that once did very well. In that team we had Papa boba diope, Fadiga, etc

    Cameroon – It will be an insult not to mention the exploits of Cameroons late midfield general McVivian Foe – MHSRIP.Mboma was another terror to most if not all small and lightweight defenders.Southern Africa can testify well to this.

    In short if a country’s aspiration is to do well in football they must produce players whose stature does not hinder them from playing anywhere in the world. If Kalaba was in the body being sort after he could have succumbed to the pressure of European teams but for now the teams showing interest are limited ………why? It is all to do with body size.

    Zambia must get back to the days of the type of players like Elijah Tana, Andrew Tembo, Albert Bwalya, Langson Phiri, Edison Mulubwa,Malambo……..Strong players.

    In the early ’90s When Zim ,Zed , Botswana and some other southern African nation locked horns in a four nations tourney in Gaborone Zim fans were heard saying Botswana had featured an all school boys team . Guess what….. Our team was butchered in a style that depicted that Size matters a lot in foot.

    • True talk.
      In Sir Alex Ferguson’s auto biography,he really discussed the importance of physique and how numerous African players fell short.body mass,leg structure and upper torso are key watch outs for football scouts/Coaches these days.

  19. Slim

    Your points are well noted but first of all, we are talking about football and not boxing where height and weight are important! In football, weight, height or general body size are irrelevant!!

    For instance, leo messi is 5’6 by height and 168k by weight which means that, dude is very short than most zambian players or the average zambian so based on your assertions it means he cannot fit into the zambian team as he ll be one of the shortest players around!!

    I have watched and follow leo messi since his days in the junior team of barce as well as his under 20 exploits and is clear that, it dont matter how strong, big or how huge u are, he can easily take u on easily!!

    In one of his delightful moves in the el classico, he took on both cannavarro( who was the world best at that time) and roberto carlos( a huge, bulky and athletic player) and they cldnt overpowered him! Do u know the reason why? Messi, DOESN’T PLAY AGIANST OPPOSITION PLAYERS BUT RATHER AGAINST SPACE AND TIME! That’s what he was taught fundamentlly! To play according to his strength!

    Messi and for that matter, short, lightweight players play according to their strength and of course we all know that messi has a weakness which is obviously his lack of attack in air, as he hardly scores goals with his head which doesnt make him less a player because he utilizes his other attributes w.r.t his shortness to his full advantage! The same goes for maradonna, world pele, abedi pele, kalusha etc! They are short and lightweight but they play according to their strength!!

    Now, u said that, in football one has to bulldozer his way thru crowded areas and thats what shorter players are known for because they have enough space and time to manevour their way thru quickly than tall, heavy build players who most at times has poor first time touches! And of course, most old school playermakers as well as modern day schemers happens to be shorter, lightweight players and a typical eg is MEERCURIAL KALABA! They dont have the muscles but rather the brains and that’s what makes all the difference!

    Finally, in modern football esp in european club football, heavy built, taller players esp from west africa are mainly employed as BOX-BOX or ENFORCERS! These are players who can cover every blade of the pitch breaking opposition moves and these players needs not to be talented or special and we have alot of these players in africa which has contributed to our downfall at world stage!! These players are all muscles without brains as these european clubs tends to kill talented, creative african players into enforcers which has contributed into destroying the natural flair of african play w.r.t to countries like ghana and naija!! A typical eg of this is mikel obi who was such a budding creative gem at under 20s but was tend into an enforcer which has dedtroyed all his creative instincts!

    I ll prefer a team full of two or three short creative players who can split a water tight defence open than a team full of tall, physical players who relies on muscles rather than brains and thats what most tall, bulky players are known for!

    Finally, your asseration that some players cld have done better in certain leagues if they had the physique to matched their talent is a big lie!

    There are taller, bulky players who cldnt succeed in european leagues and vice versa! Essien was turned down by fergie because according to him, he was too short but essien went on to prove him wrong thereby letting fergie to eat a humble pie!!

    To succed in any league aside your talent u need determination and not your height or weight!!

  20. @ Gaddafi , Point of correction – I didnt imply that players with big/athletic bodies would do well in certain leagues but rather I meant to say that their statures would not be part of what limits them from playing anywhere in this world.

    You have brought up a valid point regarding Essien and Figgie. It holds water for my argument. Had it not been for his size in relation to his age by then he could have played at Man U and in the English Premiership earlier than he did.

    As if what you said to support me about Essien is not enough you say you would prefer a team with three or so of those small sized fellows. That number is not a lot to have in a team. It suggests that you would have balanced your team very well. The fact that you prefer that lot says much on how you critically consider the influence of player stature in football.

    Kalusha and a number of some players you consider as small were not small in stature. These players had medium statures which is actually the best stature for a footballer. That size is much better than being a giant of a player.

    Above I will encourage you to take a look at my previous instalment again. It does not talk about a big player without football skill .

  21. The team was so lethargic…Our boys could not even jump for floating balls…a sign of unfitness…The coaching staff didn’t see that as the players kept pumping long balls and no one was jumping for them…both defenders and strikers just do not jump at all, at all…Simukonda could not see that? The defending! Wow! That was pathetic, 5 defenders chasing an attacker….very elementary indeed….poor, poor, poor. Unfortunately, Chepeshi, Toaster, Mkandawire, Lubambo, Luchanga, Sate Sate all play for the senior squad…They need to change their attitude if Zambia’s fortunes should change…otherwise, kuwayawaya fye!

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