•ZAMBIA’S Paul Katema throws in a challenge to contain South Africa skipper Keagan Dolly during the CAF under-23 Africa cup of Nations Group A match in Dakar on Tuesday. South Africa won 3-2. Picture by BACKPAGE PIX.
By KALUMIANA KALUMIANA and MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
FORMER Under-23 national team defender Zifa Nkhoma has blamed Zambia’s failure to win a match at the ongoing CAF 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Senegal on player exhaustion and complacency.
Zambia takes on Senegal today in a 19:00 hours formality match seeking a win to redeem its battered pride following two straight defeats that ended the team hopes of qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Nkhoma, a former Power Dynamos defender, said in an interview in Kitwe following the team’s exit from the tournament after losing 3-2 to South Africa that the players have been overused at both senior and junior level.
Over seven of the players are also expected to be part of Zambia’s first team at next month’s 2016 CAF African Nations Championship squad in Rwanda that includes senior players namely Winston Kalengo, Jacob Banda, Buchizya Mfune and Festus Mbewe.
“I have my doubts if those same players can hit top form in Rwanda after what I saw in Senegal. They are tired, I am worried,” Nkhoma said.
Zambia kicked off the Olympic qualifiers with a 2-1 defeat on Saturday to Tunisia before squandering a first half lead to lose to South Africa on Tuesday to exit the competition.
“They are tired and don’t look motivated. Let’s have player for the Under-20 playing for the Under-20 and those for the Under-23 playing for the Under-23 and not all of them again at the senior team.
It breeds a lot of complacency and attitudes in young players,” he said.
This is the first time that Zambia has failed to advance from the group stage at any Under-23 competition they have qualified for since the 1995 All-Africa Games in Zimbabwe.
Zambia finished second in 1999 and twice fourth in 2003 and 2007 at the All-Africa Games in South Africa, Nigeria and Algeria respectively.
Nkhoma was a member of the 1991 Under-20 group that reached the semi-finals of the African Youth Championship in Egypt and was also part of the 1995 Under-23 team at the All-Africa Games in Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, Fighton Simukonda will be targeting a win against Senegal but most importantly hoping his lads do not ‘go to sleep’ as was the case in the 3-2 defeat to South Africa.
However, beating Senegal will not be an easy venture as the West Africans, who have already sealed a semi-final berth, will be looking forward to top the group and avoid a stronger opponent in the next round.
“We shall stick with our plan of doing well at this tournament so against Senegal we will not take things lightly. We just have to win the last game,” Simukonda said.
With the home crowd expected to roar in the stands of Léopold Sédar Senghor Stadium, Zambia face an uphill battle to outdo Senegal but midfielder Lubambo Musonda knows what is at stake and is confident the squad will collect maximum points.
“We have a lot to do and we need to work extra hard in our next match and defend the name of our country because we will be playing for pride.
“We shall play well and pick it up from there,” Musonda said.
Conlyde Luchanga and Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba would rise to the occasion upfront to overpower the Senegalese backline marshalled by Belgium-based Ibrahima Diedhiou.
Senegal coach Serigne Saliou Dia has enough ammunition in Mouhamadou ‘Habib’ Diallo, who could torment the Zambian defence of Billy Mutale, Boyd Mkandawire and Benedict Chepeshi.
