I’m proud of my boys – Chambeshi

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 11:34:02 +0000

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

UNDER-20 AfCON winning coach Beston “Quicksilver” Chambeshi says he is proud of the Junior Chipolopolo for their exploits during the Total junior Africa Cup of Nations tournament which Zambia won for the first time since its inception.

Zambia beat the Young Lions of Teranga 2-0 in the final played at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka to be crowed kings of Africa.

Chambeshi was the most outstanding coach having inspired his boys to a 100 percent record as they won all their matches. Zambia was hosting the tournament for the first time.

Speaking in a post-match interview, Chambeshi said he was a happy coach after his boys triumphed 2-0 in the final against Senegal.

“I’m very happy and proud of my boys today. Of course the game was not easy but I’m happy with the way my boys handled Senegal,” he said.

“It is a sweet victory, it is for the country; we are investing a lot in youth football, the level we have reached shows we are moving in the right direction,” he added.

Chambeshi commended the 60,000-plus soccer fans at Heroes and across the country for their support to the Under-20 boys from the time the junior AfCON began.

“It is good to win at home especially when you are playing before such a crowd. It is nice; I thank the boys for the job well done,” he said. And Senegalese head coach Joseph Koto congratulated Chambeshi and his lads for lifting the trophy.

Koto, whose team was involved in suspicion of using juju practices during the tournament, however dismissed such reports.

“I did not see any of my players involving themselves in juju and I don’t believe in it as a coach. If we had won the tournament, you people would have attributed our victory to the use of juju but we lost today.

“In football, there is always a winner and a loser. Zambia could not make it in 2015 but in 2017 they have made it and I congratulate them for being champions,” Koto said.