The Zambia national soccer team will play in the final of the regional Cosafa Cup tournament for a second consecutive year after they beat Madagascar 1 – 0 in the semi final of the tournament.
It was a dominant display by the Beston Chambeshi coached squad and the game could have ended with a screaming scoreline but for the wastefulness of the attackers.
Chambeshi named an unchanged starting XI from the game against Namibia but it was the Islanders who seemed more comfortable in play with good interchange of passes in the midfield and taking the initiative to attack in the opening half hour.
Once Zambia had gained some rythmn, Clatous Chama started seeing more of the ball and it was just a matter of time before they would open up the opposing defense who were playing a high line.
The goal came in the 39th minute when Kelvin Mubanga picked the run of Chama whose disguised pass in the edge of the box found Lazarous Kambole and the striker slammed home with his second touch.
The second half was lopsided with the Chipolopolo creating chance after chance mainly ochestrated by Chama but he was guilty of being selfish even when his fellow attackers were in better positions to score.
Jackson Chirwa, substitute Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba, Shemmy Mayembe and Mubanga were all guilty of failing to convert or making assists when the team was in great attacking positions.
The embarassing display in front of goal was summed up in the second minute of injury time when John Chingandu, led a counter attack with Kambole and substitute Collins Sikombe either side and no defender in sight after Madagascar had committed all infield players in attack for a corner.
Shockingly, with only the keeper who was off his line to beat, Chingandu opted to loop the ball over the keeper who turned the ball out with his finger tips to deny Zambia a second goal.
Zambia await the winner between Zimbabwe and Lesotho to know who they play in the final.
Zambia XI v Madagascar
Toaster Nsabata – Shemmy Mayembe, Martin Sikaonga, Billy Mutale, Ziyo Tembo – Benson Sakala, Jack Chirwa – Clatous Chama (Collins Sikombe), Kelvin Mubanga (Ronald Kampamba), John Chingandu – Lazarous Kambole
I have said it before and I will say it again, John Chingandu is not a national team material. Surly not even a school boy can blander like this Fellow John Chingandu he is only good at ballooning. Kambole equally lucks the aggression needed for a striker. The coach is OK except for his love on John Chingandu who happens to be our weakest link.
John Chingandu is an ID1OT.
John Chingandu is an ID1OT
That was some of the worst finishing i have ever seen in any football match……..
This is the best zambian team for the past four yrs. I have never seen zambia playing such type of football… Viva chambeshi
Give them credit for creating chances. cjingandu plays for zesco. It’s a statement on its own. I have seen score great goals. 1 more win.
We created chances but just as analysed before the tournament, we didnt get the best strikers for the team. Sate Sate should stick to league football, lazarous too short and not incicive – we have no strikers bane. better improvise with cletus chama as top man.
Is this the same CCC who had no part in Wada’s team? Now look the way he’s fit into Wuick silver’s set up.
So wasteful – felt terrible watching selfishness of Chingandu.
The coach is ok and knows how to combine talent….
Chingandu just needs to be clinical. I have seen him score some sublime goals for ZESCO. Yes in yesterdays match he was somewhat wasteful but he also helped in linking some beautiful moves most of which were unfortunately wasted.
Zambia has to be more clinical in the final, remember Zimbabwe came with a fully fledged squad, with the objective of retaining this trophy.
All in all I think it is important to look back at out initial objectives. Did Zambia go into this tournament to win it (since all teams go to a tournament to win)? If they did then surely Mulenga, Shonga, Mweene, Kalaba, Sinkala and company would have been in Limpopo.
Or did Zambia go to this tournament to expose the fledgings and fringe players for the future?
Or was it for both? and have our objectives been met?
Please Chipolopolo give us a good final and may God Bless you?
That is why people say Zambian players use charms. Maybe this time they accuse L Kambole of using charms which made difficult for others to score. Like former players; Chris Katongo, Kenneth “Babble” Malitole, Harry Milanzi etc. This kind of charms, if the one scores first no one can score. Oh poor Zambian.
@ Muchinga, no charms.
That was just a poor decision by John Ching’andu. How can you chose to loop the ball over the goal keeper when his friends were in clearer goals scoring position?
Chingandu is the palooka is not national team material with sate sate.