Chipolopolo Fired Up For Sudan In Todays CECAFA Semi-Final Clash

ZAMBIA and Sudan will today renew what has become a bitter rivalry when the sides meet in the semi-finals of the GOtv Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup at Mombasa City Stadium in Kenya.
This will be the second meeting between the teams this year.
Sudan have unfinished business with Zambia for two reasons.
The first one is that the Chipolopolo eliminated Sudan 3-0 in the quarter-finals at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.
And to add salt to the wound, Zambia reported Sudan to FIFA for using an ineligible player Salif Ali during the 2014 Brazil World Cup qualifier which the Arabs won 2-0 last year but were docked points and the Chipolopolo were awarded a 3-0 scoreline.
To avenge for the boardroom decision, Sudan played their lungs out and held Zambia to a 1-1 draw in the World Cup qualifier on June 15, 2013 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Zambia and Sudan have met four times in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup history with both teams winning two times.
Sudan beat Zambia 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 1980 edition but a year later the Chipolopolo won 2-0 in the last four.
On their way to winning the 1991 edition, Zambia beat Sudan 3-2 in the semi-finals and went on the beat Sudan 11-10 on penalties in the semi-finals in 2006.
Overall the teams have met 19 times with Zambia winning nine, Sudan five and five draws.
Zambia coach Patrice Beaumelle admitted that the game against Sudan will be tough but his players are ready.
“This is a semi-final match and of course at this stage you always expect tough challenges,” he said.
The Frenchman said Zambia did not play well against Burundi and will need to up their game today when they face Sudan.
To keep his dream of reaching the CECAFA Cup final alive, Beaumelle will retain Toaster Nsabata who saved two penalties against Burundi between the posts.
In defence, Beaumelle will welcome skipper Bronson Chama and Roderick Kabwe, who missed the quarter-final clash against Burundi because of suspension.
Chama will partner Christopher Munthali in central defence while Kabaso Chongo will be on the right wing and Kabwe on the left flank.
Kondwani Mtonga, who played in central defence against Burundi, will revert to midfield alongside Sydney Kalume, Julius Situmbeko and Felix Katongo.
To book the passage to the final, Beaumelle will rely on Festus Mbewe and Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba.
Mbewe has three goals while Kampamba has one.
In case the two forwards find the going tough, Alex Ng’onga and Bornwell Mwape are other options.
Buoyed by Sunday’s 2-0 win over Ethiopia, Sudan have every reason to believe that they could overcome Zambia.
Ibrahim Salah will lead Sudan’s attack and he contributed a goal in the 2-0 win over Ethiopia.
Salah has knack for goals and is the tournament’s topscorer with four goals.
The Chama-led defence should police him throughout the match.
Sudan skipper Hamoda Bashir and Faris Abdallah are other players who should be kept at bay.
The match will kick-off at 15:00hours while Kenya and Tanzania will lockhorns at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

Posted by Editor on December 10, 2013. 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