Bonetti, Nooji Play Mind Games

Ignatius Mazeko and Munambeza Muwanei

3 June 2011

Some forty hours before Zambia takes on Mozambique in the Orange 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group C qualifier at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola, both the Chipolopolo coach Dario Bonetti and his opposite number, Mart Nooji, declared their charges ready for the encounter.

Bonetti said in an interview yesterday that he was impressed with the input from the 26 players that had camped at Moba Hotel in Kitwe, describing them as committed to go all the way and qualify for the Africa Cup finals to be staged by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

The Italian trainer said he was optimistic the Chipolopolo would emerge triumphant because of the players’ work-rate in training.

And the Mamba’s head coach, Nooji bragged on arrival at Ndola International Airport that Zambia was lucky to win in Maputo during the first leg and that his team would be lucky this time around and defeat the home side, attributing his declaration to the week-long training camp his team had in Johannesburg South Africa ahead of the match.

He described tomorrow’s game as a fourth final for the group qualifiers match because of its importance, adding that qualifying for the African Cup of Nations was only after all the six matches were played.

The 26-man delegation arrived at 12:15 hours aboard a South Africa Airlink and was met by FAZ committee members Kelvin Mutafu and Elijah Chileshe. The team were taken to Mukuba Hotel for lunch before proceding to Chingola’s Protea Hotel where they would be camped.

And Bonetti said his players had a positive approach to tomorrow’s game because they understood the importance of the return match against the Mambas and the need for Zambia to maximise the home advantage.

“We are ready for the game. We know that anything can happen in football that is why we have done our part by working hard in training. Our aim is to win on Saturday so that we increase our chances of qualifying to the Africa Cup,” he said.

He said not even the absence of injured strikers Jacob Mulenga, James Chamanga, Given Singuluma and suspended midfielder Noah Chivuta would halt Zambia’s quest for a second win over Mozambique, after a 2-0 victory at home in the corresponding fixture.

Bonetti said he has a good crop of players to fill in the positions of Mulenga, Chamanga, Singuluma and Chivuta and was happy that striker Emmanuel Mayuka of Swiss Premiership side, Young Boys had recovered from an ankle injury he picked up from his base.

And defender Chintu Kampamba of South Africa Premiership side BIDVest Wits has said he was optimistic of shrugging off a calf injury and making the final team.

Kampamba, who has established himself as the main defender at the heart of the Chipolopolo rear guard, has not been part of most training sessions because of a calf injury he sustained in South Africa.

The former Kabwe Warriors central defender said he was desperate to regain full fitness because of the importance of the Mozambique match that can make or break Zambia’s crusade to the Africa Cup.

“Definitely as players we are looking forward to having a great game and get the three points but you know this is football, it is not going to be easy just like we went in their background and beat them. It is not going to be an easy game, we respect them but we know that

we are going to give it our very best and carry the day,” he said.

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