Zambia must beat revelatory Burkina Faso on Today
to ensure their place in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.
Stalemates against Ethiopia and Nigeria have left Herve Renard’s men on two points in Group C, with Burkina topping the table on four and requiring only a draw to see them into the last eight.
If the match ends all square, Zambia’s fate is in the lap of the gods, or more precisely in Rustenburg, where Nigeria and Ethiopia face off simultaneously.
Twelve months ago Zambia sailed through the first round, with two wins and a draw — in South Africa things have been tougher, but at least they are still masters of their destiny.
After the Nigeria game, Renard commented: “We now have to wait for the final group game against Burkina Faso to see what happens next.
“We have our chance and destiny in our own hands. I think we are still capable of qualifying to the quarter-finals.”
Kennedy Mweene, the talismanic goalkeeper whose heroics in saving one penalty and scoring another have kept Zambia on course for the knock-out stages, echoed his coach’s optimism.
“Look, we still have hope. We’ll work hard in training, we can’t give up. We have to fight, we are the champions after all.
“It won’t be easy, but we can still qualify for the quarter-finals.”
Captain Christopher Katongo admitted they face a must-win game.
“Everybody knows the importance of the last game — Nigeria and Zambia have to win their last group games,” he stressed.
Zambia’s Southampton striker Emmanuel Mayuka added: “I believe we will get the result we need against Burkina Faso — we just have to win.”
Algeria were the last title-holders to go out in the first round, following up their 1990 title win by picking up just one point from two matches two years later in Senegal.
Zambia hold the upper hand in previous Nations Cup meetings with the Burkinabe, winning two and drawing the other, but the side from west Africa that ended an 18-match winless run in spectacular style with a 4-0 rout of Ethiopia last Friday represent stiff opposition.
They are missing first-choice goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama, banned for two matches after being sent off against Ethiopia. Soulama suffered a personal tragedy the same day when his father was killed in a car crash.
Burkina, guided by Belgian coach Paul Put, have surprisingly emerged as one of the teams of the first round, largely helped by the deadly left foot of Alain Traore.
The France-based midfielder saved the day in stoppage time against Nigeria, and produced two superb goals in the demolition of Ethiopia.
“The Ethiopia win will give us the confidence to face defending champions Zambia in our last group game,” noted Put.
“We will be ready for Zambia and we are committed and united in our cause to qualify.
“We are closer to qualifying, but we have to keep our feet on the ground.”
Burkina have succeeded in extricating themselves from the first round only once in eight appearances, when they finished fourth under French coach Philippe Troussier as hosts of the 1998 edition.
They will be deeply disappointed if they don’t double that tally in Nelspruit.
©2011 AFP
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It will be a tough game..all the best to chipolopolo squad God bless.
Show them boyz we believe in you.go zambia goooooooal.
Go captain Mweene. Go team Zed. Go chipolopolo. God help us.
well we put all in the hands on God!!! Go Zambia GOGGGGGGGGGoooooooooooo!!!!!
From cape to cairo,no county have blieved that Zambia are champions may b Ghana & Gabon.bcoz Gabon said “you are playin at home”.surely now make them collapse by seeing you carry the day at 7:00pm.mwandini ba Zambia kabiyeni kabiyeni!Gooooooooooooal..!
From cape to cairo,no county have blieved that Zambia are champions may b Ghana & Gabon.bcoz Gabon said “you are playin at home”.surely now make them collapse by seeing you carring the day at 7:00pm.mwandini ba Zambia kabiyeni kabiyeni!Gooooooooooooal..!
Zambia is still a team to reckon with.We will beat them since they will be defending. GO ZAMBIA GO FOR GOALS.
I kno the stallion of burkina faso wont take it easy coz we ar a team to beat at afcon.so plz we need serious player wu will die a litle 4 our bloved zambia.bliv me now or after the game we wil beat them tho not sure of how many bullet wil fire.my only advise to u pipo with BP is that tke it easy coz only 94 mins wil scater us in2 jubilation.
Chipolopolo Go Zambia Goooooooooooooo!
All is not lost let us go and welcome the boys on wednesday as they come back from SA, my advice to pipo with BP, watch your games near the clinics and hospitals, you may need their services..period
You are a big fool. We are going to the next round. AFCON 2012 everyone looked down upon Zambia that they cannot win this cup but we did it. Maybe you never saw the cup in Zambia foolish man. Ba Zambia Iyeee. More goals today.
What destiny ba Renard, just admit that your win last year was a fluke and now you can not cope with the pressure that comes with the champion tag.
There is no Egyptian referee, come back boys has you have failed us mwe fimakula .
Ba Kay1 you spound like HH, who asked those with BPs to manage their BPs coz he was sure he was winning. I think you should spend the evening in the clinic because you will collpse from surprise when Chipolopolo demolish the stallions. Go Zambia Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it shall be well
Call me whatever, and i will have the last laugh, its not like i am no true Zambian supporter, i am a serious die hard supporter but i am as prepared to handle dissapointments as possible should the worst happen…Let us not pretend like we have been the best team in this tournament!
Soccer is a game which a team can win or lose no need of fighting brethren the best team of the day will carry the day but that does not mean the loser is bad but was not good in that particular game. look at Ghana and Ivory coast we have beaten them before but they are doing fine now.frankly speaking our boys are good and on their day like today they will definately carry the day espcially if they lay as a team
That is the right spirit. After all the Zambian team is nothing to write home about.
Big fools with negative minds will know today that Zambia nation team is the best.GO Zambia GOooooooooo’
Big fools with false hopes will be jolted to reality today,
watch out 4 traore he based in france,he’s pace he runs wth da ball and he shoots 4rm afar,he is a danger man.pliz katongo chris shud come in wen its 5min to go.kennedy mweene must be a captain.
Kausu is there for him hey and the huge Nsuzu keeping watch
Zambians cannot run very fast on that sandy pitch.
AFCON for Zambia starts today I speak victories for zambia from today till the final and the retaining of the cup. thats is my positive confession sir/madam.I respect yours as well soccer just a game.
Go Zambia Go winn them do not give the chance
CHIPOLOPOLO GO GO GO HOME……….
@kayi am sory to call u a big fool my brother,how wud u wish 14million plus zambian pipo to cry at once?fool eh!!anyway fools wil neva cease in our land bliv me bro so far we ar unbeaten at afcon and we ar goin to pull down the strongholds of stallion of burkinafaso but bcoz of your inferiority dirt thinking of yo mind u wil stil call it a fluk.4giv my anger am jst defending my country.
Its times to separate men from boys. I smell victory for the Burkinabes. Hard luck Chipolopolo.
Let us leave it to the coach himself,but the worst he will do is to put CHRISTOPHER KATONGO on the starting line-up.We are waiting it in the next three (03) hours.
we are good, we held NORWAY, whom Brazil beat 1-0
wishing u all the best ba chipolopolo. u will make it
Zambia will score 2 goals in the first half and 1 goal in the second to win 3-1. So relax folks, all is well!!
Win or lose, the world history will not change, we are the 2012 African champions.
Ba kasalanga/ figigi fwenu, mwalamwenako.
Zed go gooooo!!!!!!