The Zambia U23 national team qualified to the CAF U23 Championship after beating Ivory Coast 4 – 3 on post match penalties.
Below is how ZamFoot rated the players.
1. Toaster Nsabata 9/10 – He did no wrong in the game. He was equal to every effort on goal and plucked the crosses from the air with ease. His highlight in open play was when he quickly came off his line when Zambia was exposed at the back and he found himself one on one with a striker who he guided off target for him (striker) to shoot into the side netting despite Toaster being beaten. The captain of the side rose to the occasion and won the game for Zambia with two penalty saves. He showed that he is the leader as he seemed at ease before the penalty shoot out and kept encouraging the other players and fans to raise the morale.
2. Benedict Chepeshi 7/10 – Intelligent player. He had his man in his pocket. Hardly any cross came from his end. He made good runs into the opposition half which unsettled the opponents. Neatly converted his penalty.
3. Mweene Mumbi 2/10 – Why the young man was made to start leaves one to wonder. His positioning, timing and agility were all poor. He was jittery and could hardly complete a pass and was rightly substituted by the half hour mark.
4. Kapota Kayawe 6/10 – That he was called by his coach to the technical area about three times in the first half should explain the torrid time he had in the first 45 minutes. However, one has to give it to the lad for his never die attitude despite him showing jitters which saw him miscue some clearances.
5. Benson Sakala 8/10 – Covered his position well and was quick to cover for his full back when needed. He was able to start play from behind. Threw in some last ditch tackles to save Zambia. He missed his spot kick.
6. Jackson Chirwa 6/10 – Calm lad who went about his business quietly and seriously. He sat on top of the back four and did well to thwart the opposition attacks in the first half. He struggled to stump his authority in the second half with his colleagues looking tired he was found chasing the runners instead of meeting them head on. His tracking of the runners needs to improve.
7. Kelvin Mubanga 7.5/10 – Did not even last an entire half but he brought something different to the attack. He varied his play by running at his markers with fine dribbles to the corner flag and at times just cut in to create some space for a shot. He had three shots which did not trouble the keeper but looked psyched to help Zambia score. He was crudely tackled in the 32nd minute and substituted in the 42nd minute after he failed to shake off the injury sustained.
8. Shadreck Malambo 8/10 – Worked hard in the midfield and was the fulcrum of Zambia’s attack. He did well in spreading the ball all over the pitch. He was up and down the midfield and weighed in with about four shots on target albeit them being weak. His header in the second half just edged the cross bar after he was set-up by Samu.
9. Friday Samu 8.5/10 – Kept the Ivory Coast defenders busy throughout the game. He was first to every ball and had Zambia’s first meaningful chance on goal. He also had Zambia’s best chance when he pounced on a loose back pass but failed to get the ball over the goalie who was quick off his line.
10. Ronald Kampamba 7.5/10 – He looked aggressive, and made some good runs into space. He did not have any meaningful shot on target. He missed his spot kick.
11. Mukuka Mulenga 5/10 – Looked sharp in the opening exchanges but quickly fizzled out of the game. He failed to find his attackers or shoot on target. His final straw was when he failed to complete a pass on a promising counter attack. Him being on his pre-season could explain what looked like low fitness levels.
Subs:
Solomon Sakala 6.5/10 – He came in for Mumbi and he made defending against the same attacker Mumbi failed to handle look easy. He was calm and shot some good ball playing skills. He however did not do much in supporting the attack.
Charles Zulu 6/10 – He came in for Mubanga. He provided some width and gave Zambia an outlet on the flanks. However, he failed to produce any good final ball as his crosses were over hit.
Patson Daka 6/10 – Replaced Mukuka in the second half. He did not bring much to the game and his positioning on the right side of midfield did not help.
Coach – Fighton Simukonda
Not to take away anything from the coach, a qualification to the finals at the expense of an Ivory Coast studded with European players is no mean achievement. However, why he played Mweene Mumbi who was not part of the team and only joined training on Thursday left many wondering as it cost him a vital sub. When the Zambia were struggling to hold on in the midfield, he withdrew Mukuka was poor and played Patson a striker who failed to add numbers in the centre of midfield.
Credit to him for not showing respect to the West Africans as he played a 4 4 2 formation.
This team needs too be beefed up in Senegal. It’s weak we are going to be butchered if we don’t strengthen. We need to find a real striker also lubambo musonda and evans Kangwa have to be called. The teams that have qualified for the caf under 23 are very strong it’s going to be tough.
IC is also a strong team. The fact that Zambia has qulaified at it’s expense shows that Zambia is also a strong team. If IC was that strong it could have beaten Zambia as Nigeria did. Yes,mthe team needs beefing up. Considermincluding 3 over age players, I have in mind Festus Mbewe, Winstone Kalengo and Chris Munthali. Congratulations Zambia and good luck! Do a lot of physical training.
For those of you who watched the match, do you agree with the above ratings? Which was the better side Zambia or IC? Tell us.
What a sunday! 3 bumper victories for me today.
My U23 boys just qualified to participate in Senegal.
Super Falcons through to the next round of the female Olympics qualifier.
And Mourinho just lost to Arsenal(though I am not an assnal fan)……
@paradox my Nigeria U23 boys are coming for your boys! BELIEVE THAT!!!!!
I just checked my super falcons lost……..aaaaaarggh(angry mode activated)
Kikikikikiki @ Badosqui lolest long time brotherman
I think for me, the analysis downplayed the role Jackson Chirwa in the game. He played well and should have had more than 7, he is the backbone of the U23 defensive midfield
Ummhh Zamfoot has been very very very lenient as our boys barely held on and played long balls 99% of the time. Only Nsabata (9 i agree) and Mubanga (8) deserve any rating above 4 if we have to be serious and objective. My personal friend Tenant and perhaps my favourite ZPL coach Big Figh didnt even deserve a winning bonus and should just thank LUCK. Such play will not take us anywhere. But again credit to this team for getting great away results and I’m sure they just had an off day as i have to be fair and mention that when we outplayed Nigeria at home, we outplayed them but lost 1-2 after a goalless draw in Nigeria. It wasn’t a much we should take anything from on Saturday but use it only as a lesson learnt.
I was @ the Stadium on Sunday and these are my observations. Mwene Mumbi truly didn’t deserve to start the match but his replacement(Solomon Sakala) was equal to the task defensively but not good going forward. Jack Chirwa and Shadreck Malambo play a similar kind of football. Shadreck Malambo is not very creative to play as an attacking midfielder. Mukuka was playing out of position and was off form. Kampamba and Friday Samu both play number 9 and so Kampamba was played in wrong position. It was very sad that our best player on the pitch(Kelvin Mubanga) was injured. If I was the coach, I’d play Kelvin Mubanga as an attacking midfielder and then use Lubambo, Charles Zulu/ Bruce Musakanya inthe wings. I’d aso deploy Evans Kangwa/Moses Phiri as a number 10 while I’d allow Kampamba, Friday Samu and Patson Daka fight for number 9. When Boyd gets back we know we have a solid back 4 in Chepeshi, Boyd, Kapota and Benson Sakala. I’d allow Malambo and Chirwa fight for the holding role. Mukuka is a classy player and class is permanent while form is temporal. If he gets back in form, I’d allow him fight with Kelvin Mubanga for number 8. If Mukuka gets to his best form, I’d play him in attacking midfield role and then use Lubambo and Mubanga inthe wings. Given that all players are available and in good form for the Championship, here is how I’d line up the lads: Nsabata, Chepeshi, Mkandawire, Kapota, B.Sakala, Jack Chirwa, Mubanga, Mukuka, Kampamba, Evans Kangwa and Lubambo. Trust me, with the above squad we can demolish any team in Senegal.
I 100% agree with you Martinez, we need to push for this team as first 11 !
Clever and objective man Martinez, you are!
martinezz for me your thought is beeter than what the coarch did, how i just wish this could land in to u23 coarch’s ears. petfect bro and may be consider being a coarch
I totally disagree with the rating between Shadreck malambo (jersey No. 15) and Jackson Chirwa (Jersey No.14). I doubt if you were concetrating on the game.
For me Jackson Chirwa was awesome, was doing the donkey work in the Midfield and a very promising defensive Midfielder and I give him 8.5/10 rating. Very composed and even took the first spot kick and converted it.
As for Malambo, the boy lucks the creativity needed in national colours, one wonders why the coach used this boy as an attacking midfielder instead of Mukuka, maybe thats why mukuka could not impress becoz of wrong position. I give malambo 5/10 because he was too tire and misplaced most of his passes, he could not intercept or read the clever movements of the Ivorians.
If we have to qualify, we need to be very serious with team selection at all levels.
For instance we wondered why Patrick Ngoma, Larry Bwalya and Moses Phiri who had impressed in the previous game were not called this time?
Going Forward we can do well with the following being included;
Lubambo Musonda, evans kangwa, Keith Sakala, Larry Bwalya, Patrick Ngoma, Shadreck Musonda (Nkana), Emmanuel Mbola, Mukuka Mulenga, Simon Silwimba, Walter Bwalya (Nkana), Julius Situmbeko, Kobe Chipeta (Power). Over aged players can include Rodger Kola, Allan Mukuka and Kabaso Chongo
People where is Alex Ngonga? This is the player we shud be relying upon now especially for the CHAN? has he resolved his movement to Gabon and has this affected his place in the National Team? Guys we are not serious, we have abundant talent in Zambia but we don’t utilize it. A good example of poor selection is the constant failure to consider the services of Alex Ngonga, Shadreck ‘Neymar’ Musonda (Nkana) Muwowo boy (Nkana) these are the players we want to watch not the 38 year olds Jackson Mwanza and Winsten kalengo. This mediocrity by Zambian coaches to only consider players from clubs they have coached or currently coaching will never take us anywhere.