Zambia: Can U-23 Fire Four Unanswered Goals?

Ignatius Mazeko

18 June 2011

The Zambia Under-23 soccer team will have to be at their best to reverse the 3-0 defeat suffered in the first leg in Algiers when they host Algeria at Nchanga Stadium in Chingola and stand a chance of progressing to the next round of the London 2012 Olympic qualifiers.

Lucky Msiska’s charges would have to score a record four unanswered goals against the North Africans to advance to the final phase of the qualifying series, the group stage, while a 3-0 victory will take the fixture to the penalty drama.

Algeria, who arrived on Thursday after camping for 10 days in South Africa, will deploy a 4-5-1 defensive formation and play a compact game to catch Zambia on the break, a system which North African sides are excellent at.

“It’s not easy to make predictions of this match. But I will be very angry if we lose on Saturday because we’ve a new generation of players who are determined to qualify,” said Algeria coach Ait Djoubi on arrival at Ndola International Airport.

Msiska will play an attacking 4-4-2 formation and in Rodger Kola, Venacious Mapande, Chisamba Lungu, Simon Silwimba, Henry Banda, Justin Zulu, Emmanuel Mbola, Jimmy Chisenga, Cosmas Kabanza, Derrick Mwansa and Allan Chibwe, he has the players capable of turning around this fixture.

The other players Msiska will count on for laurels are strikers Felix Nyaende, Alex Ng’onga, defenders Lawrence Chungu, Christopher Munthali (all Power Dynamos), midfielders Richard Kasonde, Rodrick Kabwe (both Kabwe Warriors) and goalkeeper Ken Muma (Red Arrows).

“I am very confident that the boys will do well, we are ready and all we need is that extra support from the soccer fans,” said Msiska who played for Zambia at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games in South Korea.

The players have to be on top of their game to achieve the feat, failure to which they should kiss the London 2012 Olympic Games goodbye.

Skipper Fwayo Tembo of Switzerland giants, FC Basel is suspended after picking up a second yellow card of the campaign while striker Emmanuel Mayuka of Swiss side Young Boys and defender-cum-midfielder Stopilla Sunzu of Congo DR giants TP Mazembe have not been released by their respective teams.

Tembo, who put up a five-star performance in Algiers, is likely to be replaced in the starting line-up by the towering Rodger Kola of Israeli side Hapoel Rishon LeZion who is set to be partnered upfront by the bulldozing Venacious Mapande from Arab Contractors of Egypt.

Kola’s LeZion team mate Justin Zulu will be given the holding role in midfield behind Zanaco’s Silwimba, while Lungu of FC Ural in Russia and Banda (Henry) of Zanaco will operate from the flanks.

Marshalling the central defence and to prevent Algeria from scoring past Zanaco goalie Allan Chibwe will be Derrick Mwansa of Nkwazi and Zanaco’s Kabanza. TP Mazembe’s Mbola and Chisenga of Arrows will be on the left and right respectively.

Algeria coach Djoubi has winger Amir Sayoud, striker Sid Ahmed, scorer of a brace in Algiers and Djamel Eddine Belamri, who scored the second goal just before half time, to finish off Zambia.

Possible Zambia line-up

Allan Chibwe – Jimmy Chisenga, Emmanuel Mbola, Derrick Mwansa, Cosmas Kabanza – Justin Zulu, Chisamba Lungu, Simon Silwimba, Henry Banda – Rodger Kola, Venacious Mapande.

Match officials

Referee: Gaston Yves Mbourou Roponat (Gabon) Assistant referees: Vinga Theophile and Christian Jean Bibang Engone (Gabon) Fourth officials: Amaud Eric Castane Otogo (Gabon)

Match commissioner: Wilfred Mukuna (Zimbabwe)

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