IT was a familiar tale as the Chipolopolo misfiring continued with Zambians made to endure a miserable night watching their team at the ongoing 2015 Equatorial Guinea 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
But this time around it came at a great expense as Tunisia came from a goal down to snatch a vital win that dimed Zambia’s chances of progressing further in the AFCON finals and to inflict the first defeat for the Chipolopolo since 2010 in the AFCON finals.
The opening game against the DR Congo exposed Zambia’s frailties at the back which the Tunisians easily exposed. Coach Honour Janza has a huge task ahead of him (should he remain Chipolopolo trainer) to make this squad into a formidable one.
The defeat also left Zambia with the same story of mathematics instead of doing the job by themselves. This is why I have repeatedly said in this column that it will be a farfetched dream for the Chipolopolo to win this competition.
With injuries steadily building up, Janza faces mount Everest to realise his dream of a quarter-final berth as Zambians were yesterday left to rue the many chances the team missed.
While Emmanuel Mayuka scored, he had several chances to kill off the game and the case was similar for Evans Kangwa though a few positives could be picked as Rainford Kalaba and young Lubambo Musonda put an impressive performance.
Hope Janza is regretting his decision to drop some experienced players who could have handled the pressure well unlike this squad that has on two occasions failed to hold on to a lead.
We wait and see but for now let me address some emails that I received after my last column.
Bhaitonie Namwaanga responded to last week column titled ‘Dishonoured Janza’.
In your last column, you asked why Janza is now asking for a contract? You should have looked at this matter from the point of patriotism, doing it for your nation.
For instance, as a civil servant, I have been asked to do some job as other logistics would follow.
We have people who have been asked to act for administrative convenience probably for more than a year as other logistics follow, but when it takes longer than promised, you have the right to ask regardless of the timing.
For me, Janza has his country at heart. You are the same people who could have written about him if he demanded for a contract first before getting to work, notwithstanding that the coach who was in-charge left when the qualifiers were about to start.
Another email came from Benjamin Kaulu, I believe most fans have no faith in the current squad. Although team selection is the work of the coach, every squad is supposed to have at least one big name.
We love our team, but as a diehard supporter, I believe in the team and less in our coach. We have players like Christopher Katongo, Collins Mbesuma, Jacob Mulenga, Jonas Sakuwaha, James Chamanga and Fwayo Tembo who have done a lot for our country but have been left out.
Are you telling me that our coach never saw any need based on their performance to include any of them in the team? I strongly believe Janza wants to have new faces at the expense of our country.
Let us learn from Brazil who dropped senior players at the World Cup but we all saw what happened.
Another brief email came from Mwengu Pwele who wrote, “Hi young man, I enjoy reading your articles in the Times of Zambia. Good article I must say”.
Continue writing your comments to eliaschipepo@gmail.com.