From FELIX MALUNGA In Niamey –
Niger 0 Zambia 0
ZAMBIA yesterday battled to a virgin draw against Niger in the sweltering heat here to complicate the route to the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
The Chipolopolo must now win their Wednesday match against Niger at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium to remain relevant in these qualifiers.
With Mozambique beating Cape Verde 2-0 in Maputo, Zambia missed a great chance to cut the gap on the Islanders as the 2012 African champions have only managed two points from a possible nine.
Cape Verde maintains top slot on six games followed by Mozambique on five while Zambia and Niger are on two points heading into Wednesday reverse matches.
“It was not an easy match. We couldn’t put the ball behind the net, we wanted all points but we could only get one,” said a disappointed Janza after the match played at the Stade General SK Stadium.
Janza made a bold decision to give Under-20 star Charles Zulu a debut thereby relegating captain Christopher Katongo and Jacob Mulenga to the bench along with Emmanuel Mayuka but the Zanaco striker could not cap that with a goal.
Zambia’s best chance in the match fell to striker Given Singuluma, who came nearest to giving the Chipolopolo the lead, but his shot, in the 54th minute from a clever Rainford Kalaba pass, came off the upright.
Singuluma was in the 77th minute denied what looked like a clear penalty after he was wrestled to the ground by defender Oumaron Yousouf  but Rwandan referee Hudu Munyemane opted to award a goal kick.
There were nerve moments in the Zambian box but the Chipolopolo managed to scrape the danger away with Dankwae Kofi heading a Lancina Karim cross as the match become evenly contested.
Niger in the second half exploited Zambia’s right-back where Kabaso Chongo weakness was exposed as the defender on three occasions was hacked to the ground.
Janza removed debutant Zulu for Mayuka in the 67th minute but it was the hosts who threatened with Amadou Moutari, who came in for Kamilou Daouda in the 69th minute, forcing a save from Mweene.
Mweene did well to palm away a rasping Moutari shot in the 71st minute as Niger upped their game in search of a winner.
Captain Christopher Katongo was applauded by both team’s fans when he came in for Chisamba Lungu in the 78th minute before Janza threw in the last dice bringing in Mulenga for a tired Chamanga in the 84th minute for a goal that never came.
The match stared with a minute silence observed for the late Niger president General Seyni Koutche, who died on October 11, 1987 with players wearing arm bands at the stadium named after him.
Chamanga missed a header in the 14th minute off a delicious Lungu cross with only the keeper to beat. The incident came just three minutes after Chamanga had made a mess of Kalaba pass inside the box.
Kamilou Daouda blasted high a Moussa Mahamane pass after the first real threat by Niger as Chamanga continued losing balls carelessly while Moussa Maazou tested Mweene with a low shot which saw the Zambian keeper up to the task.
Home fans became agitated with their team’s poor performance showering abuse as Chipolopolo continued to enjoy some possession as the half ended with only a few clear cut scoring chances created.
“Today I have seen a good game of two teams who wanted to win. We had more opportunities to score until the end. Our defence was better organised than when we played Cape Verde,” said Niger coach Gernot Rohr.
Line Up Zambia – Mweene, Kabaso Chongo, Emmanuel Mbola, Christopher Munthali, Nyambe Mulenga, Nathan Sinkala, Zulu (Mayuka 67), Chisamba Lungu (Katongo 78), Chamanga (Mulenga 83), Singuluma, Kalaba.Unused substitutes: Joshua Titima, Roderick Kabwe, Donashano Malama, Bruce Musakanya.
Niger: Daouda Kassaly, Moussa Maazou, Lancina Karim, Mahamane, Kourouma Tafoghoma, Oumaron Youssouf, Chicoto Mohammed (Souley Mahamadou), Abdoulaye Boureima, Kamilou Daouda (Moutari 69), Mohammed Ali, Kofi.
Referee: Hudu Munyemane (Rwanda).