Fri, 26 Jan 2018 13:26:02 +0000
By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIA National Soccer team coach Wedson Nyirenda says there is need for the Chipolopolo boys to work hard if they are to beat Sudan in tomorrow’s Championship of African Nations (CHAN) quarter final fixture at Marrakech Stadium in Morocco.
Speaking in an interview in Marrakech, Nyirenda noted that Sudan was not a small team as they always gave Zambia a tough time whenever the two teams meet.
Nyirenda added that Sudan had improved a lot and were playing good football with very disciplined and tactical players.
“Sudan is not a pushover team, they have been a thorn in our flesh most of the time we have played them,” Nyirenda said.
“Going into this game it is not going to be easy, they gave Morocco a very good run and they are playing very well, they are highly tactical and disciplined players.”
“As the games are moving to the next stages, the games are getting tougher. The teams that are remaining are doing their best, we need to do our best, the coaches must do their best and players too,” he added.
Nyirenda said that there was need for the team to remain focused to be able to progress to the next round.
He commended the squad for topping group B with seven points after walloping Uganda and Ivory Coast before the 1-1 stalemate against Namibia in their final group B fixture.
“Our plan has been fulfilled. Our plan was to top the group so that we could return to Marrakech, and the boys did a good job according to the plan we had.
“As we stay in the tournament, the boys are getting more confident. We just need to adhere to our tactical plan as we face Sudan and rise up to the occasion better than we did in the last game against Namibia and these other games,” Nyirenda said.
Zambia and Sudan will clash in the second quarterfinal fixture with the winner expected to progress to the last four of the CHAN tournament meant for players who play in their domestic leagues across the African continent.
