Zambia beat Cameroun, as Msiska is sent off
By Sports Reporter
Cameroun (1) 2 Zambia (1) 3
ZAMBIA Under-23 soccer coach Lucky Msiska and two others were sent off on Tuesday night as the team kicked-off the eight-nation International Olympic tournament in Egypt with a penalty shoot-out win over Cameroun.
Msiska, team manager Jeff Chipilingo and skipper Derrick Mwansa were red-carded in a bad tempered opening group match at Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo.
Delegation leader, Keagan Chipango said the Zambian team could not understand why Msiska and Chipilingo were sent off as he was merely trying to reason with the referee over the persistent offside calls and that FAZ has since appealed against the red-cards.
Chipango said in an interview from Cairo yesterday that the referee, who handled the match, was allegedly biased towards the West Africans and looked determined to ensure Zambia lost.
He said while Mwansa’s red-card was clearly understood after he committed two bookable offences, it was not clear why Msiska and Chipilingo were sent away from the touchline.
During the match, Cameroun took a first half lead from the penalty spot before 10-man Zambia hit back in the second half through Zesco United winger, Innocent Mwaba.
Despite, Mwansa being sent off, the squad held its own even after the referee had added eight minutes of stoppage time.
In bizarre circumstances, penalty shoot-outs were called to break the tie, much to shock of the Zambian team.
Tournament organisers made a decree that any group stage match which end in a draw will be decided through the penalty lottery.
