Senegal 3 – 1 Zambia (Sadio Mane 22′, Krepin Diatta 30′, Ismailly Sarr 45′ | Dominic Chanda 53′)
The Zambia national team on Saturday evening lost 3 – 1 to Senegal in an international friendly match played in Thies Senegal.
It was a performance short of any cutting edge attack for Zambia and defensive lapses that could have cost the Chipolopolo more especially in the first half in a game that Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojević handed out three debut appearances.
Micho named two defensive midfielders Salulani Phiri and Paul Katema to counter the attacking threat of Sadio Mane and Ismailia Sarr with Moses Phiri playing out on the left, skipper Rogers Kola playing through the middle and Klings Kangwa on the right with Collins Sikombe in the hole.
While Zambia looked quite comfortable in the opening exchanges, the hosts were doing more of the attacking and Zambia were lucky not to concede when a cross from the right side of the Zambia defense covered by Benedict Chepeshi found Mane lurking in the box only for him plant a free header off target in the 8th minute.
Senegal got the break-through when they were awarded a penalty following a late tackle on the box by Salulani Phiri. Mane stepped up to beat Lameck Siame in the Zambia goal with 22 minutes played.
Krepin Diatta made it two at the half hour mark when he expertly finished with a snap shot from another cross coming from the problematic right side of the Zambia defense.
This was a minute after Zambia squandered a chance to equalize when Sikombe dithered on the ball with the keeper to be beat only to be dispossessed by the agile Senegalese defenders. The chance fell to him after Rogers Kola saw his clean header brilliantly saved by Alfred Gomis in Senegal goal only for the ball to kindly fall in his path.
The Lions of Teranga added a third just before half time when Sarr slammed home from inside the box.
Micho made two changes at half time handing Prince Mumba his debut for the ineffective Kangwa and Spencer Sautu for Sikombe. Zambia got a better hold of the game and were creating more chances going forward.
Micho’s lads pulled one back when Dominic Chanda scored his first goal for Zambia in the 53rd minute when he connected well with debutant Prosper Chiluya’s cross to give the Chipolopolo hope for recovery.
Five minutes later, Kola was through on goal with defenders chasing behind him but he rushed his shot and totally missed the target. The Zanaco forward was at it again in the 63rd minute when he rose high in the box to head on target but was again denied by the brilliance of Gomis in the Teranga Lions goal.
18 year old Ntanzana Mayembe made a cameo debut appearance in a game that also saw Brian Mwila return to the national team with a 30 minute shift while Amity Shamenda played 18 minutes.
Despite Zambia looking sharp in the second half, the hosts managed the game well to pick another win at home.
Zambia will now look forward to a game against Benin to be played on Tuesday 8th June before playing Sudan on Friday 11th June.
Good game to boys am sure if the likes of Daka, Mwepu, Fashion Sakala and forgoten Stopilla Isunzu and Expirence Kennedy Mweene were in the game the scoal line would have been different.
A bit of a big stage… Mr K?
This is why friendlies with quality oppositions are important.
Let the players get baptised by fire.