November 19, 2008
Venue: Mohammad V Stadium, Casablanca
Kickoff: 21:00 ZMT
Previous meeting: Morocco 2-0 Zambia-12th January, 2008
The Chipolopolo Boys this evening take on the Atlas Lions of Morocco in an international friendly match. Both sides will be using this match to prepare for 2010 African/World Cup qualifiers which resume in March next year.
(Picture above: The starting line up which faced Morocco)
National team trainer Herve Renard is expected to blood a full strength starting line-up that boast only four European based players with the backbone of the team being based in South Africa.
It’s the opposite for his countryman and Euro 2000 winning coach Rodger Lamerre who is expected to unleash a star studded European based team led by French Ligue 1 striker Maroune Chamakh of Bordeaux. Other stars expected to start are FC Porto striker Tarik Sektioui and Youssef Hadji
Lamerre who will be facing Zambia (was coach of Tunisia when the two countries played each other in earlier this year) for the third time has a headache in deciding to choose his strike force pairing after the emergence of 24 year old Mounir El Hamdaoui of AZ Alkmaar who is the leading scorer in the Dutch league. El Hamdaoui was born in Holland and is hoping to earn his first cap against the Chipolopolo Boys.
Man to watch: Nabil El Zhar (above)- The Liverpool wing sensation will be the one to watch. The Anfield rising star is slowly breaking into the Rafa Benitez star studded world class. This season the 22 year old has been used as an impact player. The French-born winger scored on his international debut in March 2008 and has gone to score 2 goals in 7 International appearances
As for Zambia, three key players will miss the tie. James Chamanga and Felix Katongo of Dalian Haichang of China and Chateauroux respectively due to injury while Isaac Chansa asked to be ‘excused as he has just recovered from an injury’ and yet he played 86th minutes for his club on Monday last week.
Renard who will be handling his twelfth match in-charge of the Copperbullets is expected to hand Davies Nkausu and Fwayo Tembo their long awaited international cap while Kebby Hachipuka, Rainford Kalaba, Noah Chivuta, Hichani Himonde and skipper Chris Katongo are poised to start.
Probable line up.
Morocco: Nadir Lamyaghri- Michael BASSER, Abdeslam OUADDOU, El-Armine ERBATE. Nabil EL ZHAR Houssine KHARJA, Youssef SAFRI, Salah SBAI, Marouane CHAMAKH, Youssef HADJI, Tarik Sektioui
Zambia: Kennedy Mweene- Davies Nkausu, Hichani Himonde, Chintu Kampamba, Noah Chivuta- Kebby Hachipuka-Jacob Mulenga, Rainford Kalaba, Chris Katongo, Fwayo Tembo- Collins Mbesuma
Subs: K. Kakonje, J. Musonda, C. Mulenga, F. Sunzu Jr, J. Sakuwaha, E.Tana,
Formation
……………….Mweene….
Nkausu….HH……Chintu….Chivuta
……………Hachipuka…..
Jacob….Chris…Kalaba…….Fwayo
…….Mbesuma…..
54 Comments on "Morocco v Zambia Preview"
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Georgia Russia on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 10:44 AM
its good that we hve taken advantage of fifa aproved friendly day.playing bigger teams will put us in good shape and give us confidence.a simple advise to the coach,friendlies should be a platform to try out all players especially those playing professional football.looking at the turn out of profesionals,other players such as moses,edwin phiri and the rest shud have been given chance to prove it that they can play at the highest level,other wise good luck to the boys.
Mabbwana on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 10:52 AM
Going for the 4 4 2, I think we could be a sure threat going forward if we released Clifford and Fwayo (the Galactico) on the flanks Then have either Collins or Chris partner Jacob upfront with Hachi and Kalaba taking proceedings in the midfield.
Anyway, let us wait and see. iyee, Chipolopolo, iyee.
Fya bbola!
Big Steve from SA on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 11:14 AM
I was waiting to hear someone mention Tana and for sure I did not have to wait very long. Ba Wille, II dont agree with you on Tana and bby the way gents this is a probable line up not the actual.
In my opinion Fwayo should play half and Mbesuma half. Clifford should be in midfield and Musonda who has had pretty good performances at Arrows should be placed ahead of Nkausu.
Taj on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 11:36 AM
I dont understand why we should have a midfielder in defence while we put a defender on the bench,chivuta is not a defender for goodness sake,am not for the idea of mbesuma starting the game,i would go for midfield combination of hachipuka,kalaba,cliford & fwaya,while upfront i would love to see jacob & tsunami,in defence we need swift defenderz to stop the likes of EL ZHAR,so i would go for:nkausu,musonda,chintu & tana,HH is too slow.all the best zambia.
chief on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 11:40 AM
this is wonderful for zambia-as we are exposing our players to sensible teams
Billy SA on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 11:43 AM
A good friendly game indeed. This is good for our players as we prepare for next years qualifiers. I agree with Big Steve that Joseph Musonda should start ahead of Nkausu. Nkausu is not even playing these days. Its like he has been sidelined. In the next friendly, Mr HR should consider Andrew Sinkala and other guys who are perforning well.
A draw will be a a good result and win will be a bonus.
Vincent Numbwa on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:11 PM
Where is the ZPL leading top scorer? I fear for our striking options Sunzu Sakuwaha and Mbesuma not likely to play a full game.
Like most fans have said , I feel Musonda should have started aheard of Nkausu. Big Steve sorry I can`t help being a believer in Tana`s abilities even after your comments I honestly feel he should start aheard of Chitu unless he has fitness problems. I have watched Tana alot even at his club rangers the big man is good. He can go forward, dangerous on corners , strike better than most strikers from long range and by far the best free kick taker in our team.
Big Steve from SA on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:12 PM
Good points Ba Wille, but Musonda is a defender. My thinking is that we should have four defenders and a defensive midfiilder that has the agility to drop with good speed when posession is lost. Three attacking midfilders to increase our attacking options, an in the box striker with a deadly finish and a striker that can draw all to himself with ball holding qualities and make that splitting pass. This striker will sit just behind the in the box striker. This gives us both the attack and defence mode. cause lets not fool ourselves the morrocans will come hard. My line up would be
Mweene
A back four of Musonda, Chintu, HH and Chivuta.
A midfield of Kalaba, Hachipuka, Clifford, Kasonde
Sitting just behind the in box striker I would have Chris
And in the box Jacob
There are some question marks with regards to Noahs tackling ability but he does give us options with overlaping. Joseph is solid and has improved on set pieces but tends to play careful and stick to basics as such crosses from his side are far in between but strikers will battle to get past him.
Billy SA on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:14 PM
Ahh, its ok Ba Wille. All the best chipolopolo boys.
Ahh but Ba Zamfoot mwandini you are doing a good job. Big up sure for informing and updating us on football matters.
Cheers.
Munee on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:20 PM
I cant see Mayuka in the possible line-up.What does it mean, hes not in Camp.
DaMwiinger on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:24 PM
Ba Willie, regarding paceof defenders, did you happen to watch Arsenal Vs Villa last Saturday?
All the best to the lads
Mphatso on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:42 PM
I dont know who has come up with this probable line up, but if its HR, i would say he doesnt learn. Why does he keep mispositioning players? Thats what is causing these guns to misfire. Chris is not a midfielder. He is a striker, 11 to be precise. Mbesuma is not at the top of his game at the moment, so I dont see how he is going to handle the morroco defense all by himself. I think he should come in as a sub. Start Fwayo and Katongo upfront. Employ Kalaba, and Clifford on the wings…i have seen how these two boys can terrorise any defence. Let Hachipuka play a defensive midfield role and Jacob as an attacking option.
Sibs on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:43 PM
Good to see all the probable line ups but we don’t have information of who has arrived in Camp.
I hope all the players called manage to make it.Good luck to the boys.This will be good test on how the will handle the pressure next year March in Cairo.
Georgia Russia on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:45 PM
i think musonda should have started ahead of chivuta,tana as well shud have been in the starting line to give the boys some kind of hope and confidence in defence.the front line and midfield look ok to me except for mbesuma whos not seen much of play.am only hoping kalaba and jacob’s form can spill over to the squad.good luck once more we behind u
Mabbwana on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 12:47 PM
I will go for a central defensive pairing of HH and Chintu might do. I dont mind wether Nkausu or Musonda starts, after all its a friendly and I have been longing to see his performance at full international level. Chivuta can take the right back though he is not solid going back, he gives us thrust when we are attack.
In the mid-field; Big Steve I like the sense of your suggested game plan, but I dont side with you on the personel coz in Hachipuka and Francis we have two defensive midfielders. I will nod Hachipuka to start sitting just on top of the defensive line, hoping He gives us the great performance of his debut game. Then allow Kalaba to be in the middle of the pack with the pacy Clifford and Fwayo supporting him on the flanks.
The rest will be for Jacob to do in the box with either Chris or Collins partnering him. But I would give the nod to Chris for reasons as put by Steve.
Fya bbola!
Dazz on Wed, 19th Nov 2008 8:49 PM
Hey guys anywhere we can watch the game online , please let us know
thanks