From GWEN CHIPASULA in Windhoek, Namibia –
CHIPOLOPOLO assistant coach Aggrey Chiyangi has praised the player’s mentality after beating Lesotho 3-2 to set up a COSAFA Castle Cup Plate final against hosts Namibia tomorrow.
Zambia booked a place in the Plate Final with a thrilling come-from-behind victory in a match played at the Sam Nujoma Stadium on Tuesday evening while Namibia thrashed Mozambique 3-0.
Paul Ketema gave Zambia the lead in the 14th minute with a header from a Charles Zulu corner but Lesotho equalised on the stroke of halftime through a magnificent free-kick from Phafa Tsosane.
Lesotho then turned the game in their favour when captain Basia Makepe gave them the 2-1 lead with a header on 54 minutes.
But Zambia continued pressing for the equaliser and Spencer Sautu blasted the ball into the back of the net from just outside the penalty area for a stunning goal to make it 2-2.
Zulu put the Chipolopolo ahead with a wonderful finish after he collected a long ball from Ketema and provided a neat finish.
Chiyangi said in a post match interview that the players managed to gain momentum after having difficulties in the first match which they lost 4-2 on penalties to Swaziland in the quarterfinals.
He said the guilty of the quarterfinal exit prompted the players to put up a good performance to reach the final.
Chiyangi, whose technical bench also has Elijah Chikwanda and Chintu Kampamba, said the players were initially affected by failure to adjust on the artificial turf.
Skipper Buchizya Mfune said the players followed the instructions of the coach and managed to play a coordinated game.
Lesotho coach Moses Maliehe said his team lost because of lack of concentration adding that Zambia came with a bang in the second half.
Maliehe described Zambian players as good with aggressive strikers and that his defence was troubled by strikers like Zulu.
“We played well in first half but the second half belonged to the Zambians who played very well. My defenders were very troubled especially by that short man number 11 (Zulu), he really troubled my defence,” he said.