•CHIPOLOPOLO midfielder Fwayo Tembo goes down under the challenge of Admilson De Barros of Cape Verde during the 2015 Morocco Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group F qualifier at Estadio Nacional in Praia on Wednesday. Cape Verde beat Zambia 2-1. Picture by MOSES CHIMFWEMBE

From MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –

In PRAIA, Cape Verde
CHIPOLOPOLO coach Honour Janza has described the 2-1 defeat suffered at the hands of Cape Verde as shocking.
Janza said in an interview, after watching his jet legged Chipolopolo side beaten by the Blue Sharks on Wednesday night in a Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group F qualifier, that he did not expect the team to be losing such games.
“If we do not get three points in games like these, it is shocking. Surely allowing them (Cape Verde) to win in such a game is simply shocking. My appeal to these players is to always have total concentration,” Janza said.
Zambia lies third with a point while Cape Verde have taken a commanding lead with six points followed by Mozambique, who drew 1-all with Niger, on two points after the first two games played.
Next up for the Chipolopolo is an away tie to Niger on October 10 before the two sides face each other in a return fixture five days later at the Heroes National Stadium in Lusaka.
Janza said he was shocked that the Chipolopolo gave away the game they should have won easily to take over leadership of the group.
“I can’t believe that we lost the game, you know we played very well and the players applied themselves very well but I think we have to look forward to the remaining games and try to pick up maximum points.
“We made a few errors that cost us but I think we have to account ourselves for the remaining games,” Janza said.
Meanwhile, Janza refused to be drawn on the team’s late arrival here for the encounter as a reason for their defeat saying the squad comprised professional players who were capable of playing under extreme pressure.
Janza also hit out at Senegalese referee Malang Diedhou for disallowing a Rainford Kalaba’s 44th minute header for offside.
“I am not going to lay the blame on the challenges that the team faced in coming here, we just needed to win this game. The goal that was disallowed for an offside was not an offside at all but in football, we should expect such type of officiating especially when the team is playing away,” he said.
Cape Verde coach Rui A’guas said he was surprised that Zambia lost to his team saying the Chipolopolo where favourites to progress.
A’guas said in an interview after match that despite dropping points, the Chipolopolo were still favourites to win group F.
“I think it would be difficult to stop us at the rate we are going at. We played well but I thought Zambia will carry the day as they came in as favourites,” he said.
Chipolopolo Soccer Fans Association (CSFA) chairperson Yotam Mwanza, who among the fans at the National Stadium in Cape Verde, said fans were still confidence that Zambia will qualify for 2015 AFCON finals.
Zambia Sports Fans Association (ZASPOFA) counterpart Peter Makembo called for increased preparations for the national team ahead of important games. The was expected back last evening.