From SHAMAOMA MUSONDA
In Kigali –
COACH George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina has vowed to play his strongest side as Zambia seek to record a third successive win at the Rwanda 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament.
This is despite having already secured qualification to the quarter-finals following wins over Zimbabwe and Uganda to lead Group D with six points, two ahead of today’s opponents Mali.
Zambia will need to avoid defeat to top the group while Mali will need to better Uganda’s result against Zimbabwe in the 16:00 hours kick-off matches to advance to the last eight.
“We shall be playing to win. We have our own objectives and we intend to achieve them all. We came here to compete and we shall fight in every game and to the bitter end,” Lwandamina said.
Topping the group will see the Chipolopolo play their quarter-final match in Rubavu in Western Rwanda where the team has had success and also command a good following in the stands of Umuganda Stadium.
Winning the group might also see Zambia avoid playing Group C winners Tunisia and may face Guinea who stunned one of pre-tournament favourites Nigeria but it will depend on the result against Mali.
With Zambia putting up a solid performance so far, Tunisia will also be more than happy to avoid the Chipolopolo at this early knock-out stage.
It was clear from yesterday’s training session that Lwandamina would be playing to win and he just made a few changes to the team that beat Uganda in a tense match four days ago.
The team training was, however, cut short after Mali walked into the stands before the Chipolopolo finished training and efforts to get them out failed as a CAF official insisted there was nothing wrong with their opponents watching on much to the rage of the Zambian delegation.
Some good news is that injured Salulani Phiri was back in training yesterday and was sprinting freely without any restrictions but still out of today’s game.
Captain Christopher Katongo said every game was tough for him and would not slow down just because Zambia had already qualified to the quarters.
“We have a good record against Mali. We’ve beaten them twice and drawn once but as you know, everyone fights to beat records and I am sure Mali will be looking at beating the record of losing to Zambia. So that means we have to fight very hard,” Katongo said.
Katongo and Isaac Chansa have been retained in the midfield together with the skilful Cletus Chama but the team will be without the fit-again Phiri in midfield owing to a hip injury.
Mali coach Djibri Drame has indicated the game against Zambia will be a life-and-death one and it will not be a walk in the park.
Thus Zambia should expect the Malians to come out fighting with all guns blazing knowing they risk missing out a quarter-final place with a loss here and Uganda winning in Rubavu.
Although Mali look like they will play safe with a packed defence and midfield, they pose a real threat in Sekou Koita, the exciting jersey number 23 left footer, Moussa Sissoko and Hamidou Sinayoko.
Probable line Up: Jacob Banda, Daudi Musekwa, Adrian Chama, Chris Munthali, Stephen Kabamba, Jack Chirwa, Isaac Chansa, Benson Sakala, Chris Katongo, Cletus Chama, Patson Daka.