CONGRATULATIONS to the Chipolopolo for beating Niger to register their first win in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers to revive hopes of qualifying for the Morocco finals.
The win came after the Chipolopolo misfired in their opening three matches handing Cape Verde an easy ride to join Algeria as the first two nations to seal qualification.
Thus the job for Honour Janza and his troops has just began and Wednesday’s victory should not make the team become complacent as a lot of work needs to be done to secure qualification.
The battle is now between Zambia and Mozambique for that second place slot and nothing than a win in Maputo on November 14/15 would mark the end of the road for the 2012 African champions.
It will be important for Janza to find a squad that can win him that match and should do away with tired legs as it has been the cry of the fans since he took over the job.
The move to bring in the likes of Bruce Musakanya was a step in the right direction but Janza needs to go further and accord players in the league an opportunity to show what they can do.
People saw what Musakanya did in that match before he was replaced and can just wonder his contribution had he had in the opening three games. He was able to take on defenders and make those crosses-something that lacked in the past matches.
But how does one explain the continued omission of the MTN-FAZ Premier League top scorer from the team in preference to the likes of James Chamanga and Jacob Mulenga?
We have Jackson Mwanza who has scored 15 goals in the league followed by Jimmy Ndhlovu on 14, Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba on 11, Alex Ng’onga, Richard Kasonde and Roderick Kabwe all on 10 goals but nowhere near the team or starting line-up.
There is need to start fusing in these players into the team to replace those ‘madalas’ and these foreign based players must realise that there is no permanent place in the squad but everyone needs to fight for it.
The friendly match against Ivory Coast on October 25 will be a good opportunity for Janza to gauge his local players ahead of the remaining two qualifiers. Let all performing players be summoned and not the usual ones we have been seeing on the list.
Let the likes of Mwanza, Kampamba, Kasonde, Kabwe and Ng’onga among the long list of ignored players be summoned and given a chance to show what they can do.
So as we commend the players for Wednesday’s victory, let them not get carried away but continue working hard as there is a more difficult task that awaits them in Maputo.
Finally, hard luck to the Shepolopolo who were eliminated from the on-going TN Mobile 9th Africa Women Championship following defeats to Namibia and Nigeria ahead of their last game against Ivory Coast today.
The team did their best but the onus goes back to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to come up with ways of making women football structures strong in the country.
While we have taken a causal approach against women football, our friends seem to have attached great importance as evidenced by the way teams like South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and not forgetting Namibia are playing.
Something needs to be done now to help save women football. Wishing you all a lovely sporting weekend as all roads will lead to Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe for the Barclays Cup semi finals. For comments eliaschipepo@gmail.com