HONE LIWANGA and CECILIA ZULU report:
ZAMBIA coach Herve Renard says the Chipolopolo will not give up the fight of qualifying for the 2014 Brazil World Cup finals.
Renard said at a press briefing at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium yesterday that the 1-1 draw with Sudan is frustrating.
He said Zambia will go to Ghana to fight for an outright win to ensure qualification to the last round.
“We didn’t put enough pressure on Sudan the way we did on Lesotho in our previous qualifier. We are very frustrated by this draw. We just need to win in Ghana,” Renard said.
He said Zambians will be cheering Lesotho today when they take on Ghana.
“We hope Lesotho can play like Sudan tomorrow [today]against Ghana,” Renard said.
Zambia skipper Christopher Katongo said the Chipolopolo did not play well in the first half but improved in the second stanza.
Katongo saluted fans for supporting the team and promised not to disappoint them in the last match against Ghana in Kumasi on September 8.
Sudan coach Mohamed ‘Mazda’ Abdullah said he was happy with the result.
“This is a fair result for us,” Abdalla said.
He said his team did not come to Zambia to aid Ghana to qualify to the last round but expose new players to international football.
Sudan captain Sail Idris said the match was tough.
Meanwhile, Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya is confident the Chipolopolo will qualify to the last round.
Kalusha said Ghana will fall in front of their fans.
“I am confident that we will go through to the next round. We will go to Ghana to beat them,” he said.
He described the game against Sudan as tough.
Kalusha said there is no need for Zambians to worry ahead of the match against Ghana.
The 1988 African-footballer-of-the-year said everything is possible in football.
Minister of Sport and Youth Chishimba Kambwili said Zambia played well but lucky was not on their side.
“The game was okay but I don’t know where we went wrong,” Kambwili said.
Zambia striker Jacob Mulenga said the game was tough-adding that he has already shifted attention to the match against Ghana.
Mulenga said Zambia has a chance to salvage victory in their crucial match against the Black Stars.
“My focus now is on our next game against Ghana. It won’t be easy there but our chances of qualifying for the World Cup are still bright,” said the Netherlands-based forward.
Another striker Collins ‘King David’ Mbesuma said the draw against Sudan is disappointing.
Mbesuma said they did not expect Sudan to hold them at home.
“We need to prepare adequately for our next game against Ghana. We’ll go to Ghana to prove ourselves that we are a better team by winning. We have beaten Ghana before so they are not a threat to us,” Mbesuma said.
In the last one year, Zambia has beaten Ghana twice – winning 1-0 apiece in the semi-finals at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and in the 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifying race.
Chipolopolo Soccer Fans Association chairman Yotam Mwanza described the draw as frustrating.
Mwanza, however, remained hopeful that the Chipolopolo will deliver a desired result in Kumasi.
He said fans are hoping that Lesotho defies the football hierarchy today by beating Ghana.
“We are hoping that Lesotho will do us a favour by drawing or beating Ghana. That will at least put us in a better position as we look forward to our next match,” Mwanza said.
Zambia lead Group D with 11 points, two better than Ghana. Sudan and Lesotho have two points apiece.
iffipuba fyesu
June 16, 2013 at 8:20 am
Now lesotho must do us a favour,ifipuba fye including kalu,whch calculator do u need.its simple the ayew bothes,boateng and asamoah gyan r back.zambia is out.why must i belive a man can get pregnant..if its not wife gvng me stress,its ths useless,,,,ba makaka
tulululu tulululu yakumbuyo
June 16, 2013 at 8:21 am
imwe just qualify ba mambala
Wise ruler
June 16, 2013 at 8:41 am
We shall qualify weather Ghana beats Lesotho or not , all the best chipolopolo , Go till the last whistle
Matako Pwete
June 16, 2013 at 8:53 am
Ba makaka you have sold our world cup place. Are we ever going to qualify to a world? Ba makaka you’re just wasting our tax payers money which should go towards developmental projects and poverty alleviation. As one vetran would put it, “****** idiots”!
no shame-
June 16, 2013 at 3:42 pm
iwe..you have no shame ayyii…before renard we were nothingin soccer at least these days we can even say we’re playing to qualify to the world cup and we actually have a chance …you are the fool here
Mathatha
June 16, 2013 at 10:51 am
Poor preparations always.Zambians neva learn. 2weeks ago all otha countries were playing friendlies but zambia was just watching them play.Let’s organise friendlies against otha nations not against zesco united.No pls.
jessy j
June 16, 2013 at 11:17 am
I seriously think that the zambia national team need a qualified psychologist on the squad to talk to them before each match bec0z I have seen the pattern of our games and results its more psychological than it is phyiscal with chipolopolo” ukusula”our oponents teko GAME ni GAME everytime so ghana will see tukabalopola bad!!!
pat
June 16, 2013 at 11:28 am
i hav stopped watching footbol.am very disapointed
zed
June 16, 2013 at 11:28 am
zambian can not qualify to the world cup finales if we can struggle to play against the minnows, lesotho, sudan, namibia, NKANA RED DEVILS. how are we going to beat teams like Brazil, Spain, Italy. No wonder CAF decided to pick on Nigeria 2013 AFCON Champions than Zambia 2012 AFCON for the confederation cup in brazil. let Renard part with ZAMBIA he has now run out of the ideas.Let Ghana qualify represent africa well.
Intelligent
June 16, 2013 at 11:42 am
We are out ! I agree with Zed!
CHINTU
June 16, 2013 at 1:08 pm
I KNEW IT. I KNEW IT. WE HAD TWO PERMUTATION TO OUR ADANTAGE.
A WIN IN GHANA
A DRAW IN GHANA
NOW THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN HANDED OVER TO GHANA.
Eish……
kantongo school
June 16, 2013 at 1:08 pm
we are out lets accept. nothing will happen in Ghana.
child protector
June 16, 2013 at 1:16 pm
THIS IS VERY IRRITATING AND FRUSTRATING.RENARD HAS LOST DIRECTION AND GAME PLAN.WHY ARE WE ALWAYS USED TO SAYING CHITE CHITE SHOULD LOSE AND THEN CHITE CHITE SHOULD BEAT THAT TEAM FOR ZAMBIA TO QUALIFY TO THE NEXT STAGE OR ROUND????WE ARE VERY FAR FROM PERFECTION.WE MAY AS WELL START MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR HOSTING COSAFA WHICH WE SEEM TO BE WELL VESTED WITH AS COMPARED TO WORLD CUP IF WE CAN FAIL TO BEAT SUDAN AT HOME GROUND ADVANTAGE.CAN SOME ONE ENLIGHTEN ME ON THIS.
CACINE
June 16, 2013 at 1:28 pm
I told you. Nshatala monako ba Zambia winning two consecutive matches and qualifying to the world cup is something that the Zambian players do not even dream about. If you want to win matches you cannot afford to be complacent. Ba Kalu and Renard should forget about that because Zambia can never beat Ghana twice bufi sana kabili. Guys abaya bantu baya even the players themselves know this because they have put themselves in too much preasure. You are gifted with three points and squander two clear chances. Today it is Ghana 3 Lesotho 1
CACINE
June 16, 2013 at 4:59 pm
Isaid it bane. Ghana 2 Lesotho 0 ku Lesotho where Zambia squandered their chances. Abaya bantu baya. Go Ghana and represent Africa, we will be solidly behind you guys.
KabimbaSTM
June 16, 2013 at 2:28 pm
IN ANY CASE WHY SHOULD ZAMBIA GO TO THE WORLD CUP TO EMBARRASS AFRICA. LETS ALLOW GHANA TO GO AND REPRESENT US…I CAN IMAGINE ZAMBIA PLAYING SPAIN/HOLLAND OR BRAZIL..GOD FORBID!! LETS TRY IT AFTER 100 YEARS…TODAY ITS GHANA 3 LESOTHO 0 AND THEN IN KUMASI IT WILL BE ZAMBIA 1 GHANA 2 AND THEN IT WILL BE GAME OVER…TRUST ME ON THIS ONE
Candela
June 16, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Too much ukulandalanda u plastic fans..jst rally behind our team we stil hv the chance regardless of ghana’s result in lesotho.
Alvaro
June 16, 2013 at 3:39 pm
Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve consider your stuff prior to and you’re simply extremely magnificent.
I actually like what you have bought right here, really like what you’re stating and the way through which you say it. You’re making it entertaining and you continue to take
care of to keep it wise. I can’t wait to read far more from you. That is actually a tremendous web site.
Accumen
June 16, 2013 at 4:23 pm
I wonder if Zambia National team has a psychologist.The performance by Zambia yesterday was due to poor psychology.
landa
June 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm
WE HAVE TO BEAT GHANA AT WHOLE COSTS.THEY JUST BEATEN LESOTHO 2-0.!
UMUNTU MUTWE
June 16, 2013 at 6:24 pm
VIVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! kabimbaSTM.LET US NOT CHEET OURSELVES.LET GHANA GO AND DO AFRICA PROUD.
shirley
June 17, 2013 at 10:28 am
We are qualifying, I’m optimistic!! Go Zambia go!!!
Nshibwelela
June 17, 2013 at 10:39 am
WE ARE OUT, LET US JUST ACCEPT IT. BETTER NEXT TIME
mbashe
June 20, 2013 at 1:53 pm
GO ZAMBIA GO, VIVA CHIPOLPOLO ALL THE WAY!!!