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Sat, 20 Jan 2018 12:12:49 +0000

as Chipolopolo date Namibia in final group B fixture

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

ZAMBIA national soccer team coach Wedson Nyirenda has reaffirmed his squad’s aim to top Group B at the ongoing Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament in Morocco.

The Chipolopolo Boys progressed  – with a game to spare – to the knockout stage after humiliating giants Ivory Coast via 2-0 win in the second group B fixture played on Thursday at Stade de Marrakech, thanks to Augustine Mulenga’s brace.

Zambia will on Monday face the Brave Warriors of Namibia who also progressed to the quarter final stage after defeating Uganda 1-0 through Halleluya Nekundi’s 92nd minute strike at the same venue.

The two Southern African representatives will clash in the final Group B fixture with Nyirenda targeting maximum three points to maintain a 100 percent winning streak, having bashed Uganda 3-1 in the opennng fixture.

 “We will do our best and make sure that we collect maximum points in the Namibia game. We may have qualified but I think we are not going to take it easy because there are other things that we are looking at instead,” Nyirenda said.

Nyirenda hailed his boys for putting up a spirited fight in the 2-0 whacking of the Elephants of Ivory Coast.

The Chipolopolo head coach also commended the Elephants led by Ibrahima Kamara for having given Zambia a tough run.

“I must congratulate the Ivorian coach for the game they played against us. It was a tough game, a game can go either way but we made it,” Nyirenda said.

“The fact that we won does not mean that we are the best. We saw a very organised Ivory Coast because they were playing a team that is on top of the group. They really gave us a good run for our money. We were fitter, looked better and we carried the day.”

The Chipolopolo Boys command the group with six points, on par with second-placed Namibia but are ahead on a superior goal difference.

The clash between the two Southern Africa neighbours will be played in Casablanca on Monday while the dead rubber match fixture between Ivory Coast and Uganda will be played at Stade de Marrakech in Marrakech.