U23 On Verge Of ‘Qualifying’ To Olympics

ZAMBIA are poised to debunk the myth that lightning strikes but only once when they seek a place at the 2015 Senegal Africa Under-23 Championship at the expense of fancied Ivory Coast, the team the Chipolopolo edged to win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations title.
After a barren draw in Ivory Coast two weeks ago, Fighton Simukonda’s boys have all the positives on their side as they seek to tinker with African soccer hierarchy.
Apart from their own abilities and self-belief, the under-23 will bank on the support of fans to lift their game and edge the Ivorians who boast of a rich array of foreign-based players.
The maths is simple – Zambia must win. And this means in regulation time or on post-match penalties if the match ends in a scoreless draw as in Abidjan.
Given how high the stakes are and the fact that fans have been starved of international football, Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka is expected to be filled to the rafters.
After losing 2-1 on aggregate to Nigeria to miss out on the 2015 Congo Brazzaville All-Africa Games, coach Fighton Simukonda and his boys are under pressure to qualify for the Senegal finals.
When the teams met in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualifier in Chingola, Zambia won 2-0 and Simukonda wants a home win.
“Our main focus is to qualify to the Olympics in Brazil but before we do that we have to qualify to the Senegal championship first and that means we have to beat the only team standing in our way which is Ivory Coast,” Simukonda said in an interview.
To eliminate Ivory Coast, Simukonda will rely on Egypt-based striker Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba and Power Dynamos forward Patson Daka.
The two players gave the Ivorians a torrid time in the first leg and will be eager to guide Zambia to victory.
“I am very fit and ready for the game. We have no choice but to beat Ivory Coast,” Kampamba, who features for Wadi Degla, said.
Moses Phiri and Friday Samu are other options for goals.
Shadreck Malambo, Kelvin Mubanga, Mukuka Mulenga and Jackson Chirwa will control proceedings in midfield.
Simukonda could also unleash Salulani Phiri, Bruce Musakanya, John Ching’andu, Larry Bwalya and Charles Zulu in midfield if the going gets tough.
Following a goalless draw at home, Ivory Coast will seek to get goals.
Ivory Coast assistant coach Souhalio Haidara declared on arrival in Lusaka on Thursday that the young Elephants are in Zambia for victory.
“The Zambian team is one of the best we have played. It won’t be easy for us to win but that’s what we are here for,” Haidara said.
The west Africans will look to Niangbo Anderson, Coulibaly Souleymane and Mohamed Vieira for goals.
The Zambian backline of Benedict Chepeshi, Kayawe Kapota, Benson Sakala and Bernard Mapili should shield goalkeeper Toaster Nsabata.
Zambia’s probable lineups:
Toaster Nsabata, Benedict Chepeshi, Kapota Kayawe, Benson Sakala, Bernard Mapili, Shadreck Malambo, Mukuka Mulenga, Jackson Chirwa, Ronald Kampamba, Patson Daka and Kelvin Mubanga.

Posted by Editor on August 1, 2015. Filed under SPORTS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry