Zambia beat Angola to qualify
**Andrew Sinkala has scored his first goal of the season for FC Augsburg. Look for a complete review of all Zambians abroad on Monday night**
Zambia 2-1 Angola
Goals: Zambia; Singuluma (30’), Njobvu (90+) – Angola; Love (45’ pen)
Man of the match: Elijah Tana
Zambia national soccer team this afternoon beat Angola 2-1 to qualify to the inaugural Chan 2009 Ivory Coast via a 3-1 aggregate.
A half-hour mark goal by Given Singuluma was cancelled out by a penalty by an Angolan striker, Love at the end of the first half as the two teams went to the break tied on 1-1. Midfield dynamo William Njobvu scored at the nick of full time to send an almost full to capacity Konkola Stadium into celebrations.
King Tana was superb…remember Senegal 1- Zambia 0 at the 2002 African Cup of Nations when kept then red-hot striker El- Hadji Diouf quite. In this afternoon game Tana’s perfomance was close to that. The defence kingpin really rolled back the years!!!!!!
Zambia started the match the more aggresive side with wing wizard Kennedy Mudenda impressing down the left flank. With the Chipolopolo Boys pressing the Angolan defence marshaled by Primero de Augusto captain Loco, the Zambian lads kept their composure while the Palancas Negras’ counter attacking tactical of trying to catch the home side on the break failed to materialize any meaningful goal threats as Elijah Tana showed his youthful teammates; Hichani Himonde, Nyambe , Mulenga and 16 year old Emmanuel Mbola how it is done when under pressure- Calmness & never panic when under pressure.
The 33 year old rolled back the years such that he was simply perfect and awesome at times. His tackles, clearance headers and diagonal passes were just brilliant.
1st Hal: 4-4-2
…………………..Jacob Banda………………
Nyambe……….HH……..Tana……Mbola
Sakuwaha…Njobvu…..Kabuka……Mudenda
………..…Singuluma………..Kola
Subs: Davy Kaumbwa, Francis Kasonde, Kondwani Mtonga, Nicholas Zulu, Josphat Nkhoma, Kebby Hachipuka, Lottie Phiri
On the half-hour mark Singuluma settled the nerves as he calmly slotted home a low drive shot past the Angolan goalkeeper Lama after a very good team build up.
The move leading to the goal was started by Njobvu who controlled an Elijah Tana clearance header and passed the ball to his midfield partner Maunga Kabuku whose nice turn allowed him to loose his marker sent a pass to crowd favourite Kennedy Mudenda . Mudenda drifted inside from the wider location on the left wing and unselfishly laid the ball to Singuluma after beating two Angolan players.
The swift Singuluma did a one-two touch with his Zanaco teammate Rodger Kola before he went on a solo move that allowed him to be on a one on one situation with the giant Angolan goalkeeper Lama.
The composed Singuluma repeated his first leg heroics as he netted his second against the Palancas Negras within a pace of thirteen days.
Against the round of play, the referee awarded Angola a penalty at the stroke of half time when Emmanuel Mbola who was making his home debut was adjourned to have fouled a player. Primero de Agusto striker Love took responsibility and scored from the spot-kick to give his team a life line.
In the second half, Angola played with urgency and their striker could have done better when Tana’s clearance rebounded off the leg of substitute Kebby Hachipuka but the inexperienced hitman’s well struck chip went wide with only goalkeeper Jacob Banda to beat.
2nd Half 4-5-1
…………………………….Jacob Banda………………
Nyambe………….HH………………..Tana………..…Mbola
……..Hachipuka (Kabuku 60’)….. Mtonga ( Mudenda 70’)
Phiri (Singuluma 88’ )…………….Njobvu…………………Sakuwaha
……………………………….Kola…………….
Unused Subs: Kaumbwa, Kasonde, Nkhoma
Chipolopolo Boys coach Herve Renard made a tactical change when he replaced danger man and Zambia’s main threat Mudenda with Zesco United’s gangling holding midfielder Kondwani Mtonga. With Mtonga and Hachipuka- replaced injured Maunga Kabuka- deployed in front of the back four, Njobvu was pushed further to support Singuluma upfront and the Lusaka Dynamos did not disappoint in his new role.
With fans busy nail- biting, Sakuwaha’s intelligent play down the left flank ended up into a goal and Njobvu popped and nodded the Zesco united winger’s well taken cross into the net to make it 2-1 and 3-1 on aggregate.
*
National team coach Herve Renard
On the team’s performance
“I’m not in Zambia to enjoy (how the team plays). I ‘m here to win and this afternoon we won and ‘am happy.
And most Zambians think it’s the best team in Africa, we are not…we have to work hard to win.
On his substitutions
The home crowd jeered when debutant Kondwan Mtonga was replacing Kennedy Mudenda.
I replaced Kennedy Mudenda for tactical reasons. Mudenda played very well but in the second half Angola was the better team and they were putting us under pressure so that I wanted three players in the midfield.
Mtonga (Mudenda’s replacement) played to the team’s organization. I can’t really judge his performance in 20 minutes. People should remember that I’m a coach and not a fan. I always want the best for the fans.
Playing Willian Njobvu in the holding role in the first half
Njobvu came to fold in the second half after he was given the free role in the more advanced attacking midfield role.
William is a very good central midfielder. He can play in any position in midfield and I don’t care whether he plays as a number 6 or 8.
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Nice report. You guys are the best football resource in Zambia. Hands down better than the big Zambian papers. I haven’t read such well written stuff since the days of Gerald Mulwanda and Jay Mwamba in the 80s. Whatever happened to these two writers? Best reporters to come out of Zambia.
Player rating out of 10
1.Jacob banda 7/10
2.nyambe mulenga 8/10
3.emmanuel mbola 5/10
4.hichain himonda 4/10
5.Elija tana 9/10
6.william njovu 8/10
7.jonas sakawuha 6/10
8.kambuku mauga 7/10
9.given singuluma 8/10
10.rogers kola 5/10
11.kennedy mudenda 8/10
Chris Katongo’s club DSC Arminia Bielefeld draw 1 all away to Hannover96. Katongo started the game on the bench and only came in during the secondhalf. it seems the zambian skipper has his place as a starter. He really needs to work hard during the secondhalf of the season.
In yesterdays Bundesliga game Egypts Mohammed Zidan showed how it is done when he scores one the best goals so to lead his team to 1-0 victory over Gladbach. It was an incredible goal. Zidan gave Gladbach defenders a torid time throughout this match
Job well done boys. I think we as fans we should let the coach be the coach. If he reads the game and want to a tactical sub, he should do so. The results tells us that the man does not just watch untill in deep danger to make changes to the team. Go Zambia and Cote Voire here we come 2009.
Go Zambia go. nice results
average play though the strike force is yet to impress, Given is good but the partnership with Kola is not that lethal
Good that we qualified thats what matters.Did not watch game but Congrats to tha boys well done.Twanaka uku lusa.
i still can find a proper reason as o why Kola is one Renard’s favorite. In that position, Kola should be able to hold the ball, swing a man, bring others to play, opens up, cheat the defenders. Ok, we might have won yesterday, but i feel for future games, something should be done. Mayuka used to do it better in that position
I like the replacement of mudenda, he was good but results were not coming. West african do not usually intertain but brings results
Competitions are all about winning and not champaign football. This was not a friendly game but a qualifier. So as fans, lets understand that Renard needed to win that match at all costs.
Congratulations Zambia!Congratulations Zambia! Iam a Zambian who was born a chipolopolo fan and everytime Zambia is scheduled for a match at whatever level I follow the team from the time the team regroups upto the material day.Im imprest with the results and hope Zambia will build on this and not relent.We can do better.
Congrats to the lads. I have a concern though-we concede too many penalties
I have sed time & again on this site that Kola will never mek a gud striker & that he shud try defence. Guys we have been watching futbo 4 a long time let not HR deceive us by his constant selection of Kola. On this site I will tell Today Sakuwaya will mek it 2 the top
Anyone know the other fixtures
dr_five, I believe Hachipuka picked up an injury while in Angola. Maybe that is why he was left on the bench.
DeMwiinger, I share your concern as well. We do concede way to many penalties. That would suggest our defenders are caught out of position too many times. That is something the coach has to address.
Congratulations to the team again!
I read in the Post that we have decided to withdraw from hosting the 2011 All-Africa Games! This is disappointing. I was hoping the games would be used to upgrade some of our stadia. Well, given the progress or lack there of, should have given us the clue.
Truly disappointing. By the way, congratulations to Sinkala for his goal. Looks like his team is doing well. I hope they won the game as well.
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Libya, Senegal, DR Congo and Zambia are all through to Ivory Coast. The story is on BBC Football Africa.
Tanzania put Sudan out, Zim put SA out, Ghana put Nigeria out, Libya put Morocco out, Senegal put Guinea out, and finally DRC put Cameroun out. Some big teams gone in that stage…
Congrats Chipolopolo.Gents please lets give young boys like Mudenda,Sakuhawa,William etc all the encouragement they need from us the same way we did to Mbesuma,Chris,Feligo.Kalaba, Clifford etc when they came on the scene.What is killing our game at the moment is this attitude of thinking that we can’t discover any better players than our current stars.Lets do it the way we did it when the likes of Kelvin Mutale,Winter Mumba,Robert Watiakeni,Kenan Simambe,Numba Mwila came on the scene & challenged our then stars.The guys got all the support & the likes of great Kalu can confirm the competition which the likes those guys brought to him & other stars at that time.On Kola I can say that the guy has the potential to be a great striker but having seen him play at club & international level,my analysis is that the lad is a bit on the lazy side & he needs to work extra harder if he is to bring out is full potential.All the best in future assignments to the lads
Can any one pls tell me the results between Rangers and roan
Ba Zambia iye!!! Ba Zambia chipolopolo!!!
This is eally good news,at least the coach seems to be on the ball with discovering new taent in this tournament thats what we need. Just hope he makes this attitude flow over to the international players at some time.
This is great news for Zambian Soccer. On Emmanuel’s ratings kola and HH made two of the three lowest performers, this if correctly rated makes for sad reading considering that they are main team players. On Mbola,he is still young and stil needs this sort of game time to come to the fold.
Some good fotbaling news after Liverpool failed to take a four point lead. They are still n top though.
Ba zambia Iye!!!!! Ba Zambia chipolopolo!!!!!!!!!
emmanuel Rangers face Roan United at Kafubu on wednesday. Lusaka Dynamos drew with Zesco yesterday to move to 34 points, Chambishi have 35, Blades have 34, Rangers and Nkwazi have 32 each. If your worry is seeing Rangers demoted well I think it is likely to be that. Rangers hope is that they beat Roan with either Chambishi or Blades losing. Both Chambishi and Blades are at home to City of Lusaka and Zesco respectively. Look at the FAZ table and you will see for yourself
Its good the team is going to play in CECAFA so that they start consolidating their play before the CHAN.
We need to build on this result and discover the new gems at the two tournaments so that we have a solid pool of players ready for selection when we start the next round of qualifiers instead of always relying on the pros who ae sometimes below par.
Naifwe tulandeko.Gud results ba Zed.Zesco winger had a gud game,hope to c him more often frm now onwards.go z go
CECAFA CUP.
—–ZAMBIA HAVE WON THE CECAFA CUP TWICE.
IN 1991 AND 1984.
—–IN 1991 CECAFA CUP FINAL ZAMBIA BEAT KENYA 2 – 0.
——IN 1984 CECAFA CUP FINAL ZAMBIA BEAT MALAWI 3-0 ON PENALTIES.
——ZAMBIA HAVE HAD 17 APPERANCES IN THE CECAFA CUP.
——THE CECAFA CUP IS THE OLDEST CUP IN AFRICA. 1ST STARTING IN 1926
FACTS, your facts are a bit behind. Zambia won CECAFA in 2006, when they lifted the COSAFA cup as well. Zambia previously won the Cup twicw, 1984 and 1994.
thx zambia ni yo limba for reminding me.Am still looking forward to continue been a supporter of Rangers and Ac milan.Nangu baluse nangu bawine my mind is still with them.Bravo