Thu, 02 Mar 2017 10:00:21 +0000
…as they qualify to the 2017 junior World Cup in South Korea
By GRACE CHAILE-LESOETSA
AND BENNIE MUNDANDO
THE Zambia Under-20 national team yesterday ran riot against Mali whom they thrashed 6-1 at the National Heroes stadium in Lusaka at the on-going AfCON tournament to qualify to the semi-finals of the tournament as leaders of Group A with a game to spare.
A brace each from Edward Chilufya and Fashion Sakala put the Chipolopolo Boys in pole-position to claim the coveted prize and consequently gallop to the 2017 junior World Cup tournament to be held in South Korea in May this year.
Both teams started cautiously but it was the visitors who silenced the home crowd five minutes into the game when Abdoul Dante rose the highest at point blank with a gracing header from Moussa Djenepo’s well-take corner-kick with Mangani Banda rooted to the ground.
Their celebration was however short lived when Sakala scored a similar header to cancel out the visitors’ lead, moments after Patson Daka saw his effort cannoning off the upright to send the noisy crowd into a frenzy.
Zambia doubled the lead through Emmanuel Banda when he inked his name on the score sheet with 25 minutes played after pouncing on a double blockade from Mali defenders to send a soaring volley, acres away from the box.
Chilufya then set up Enock Mwepu when he skidded the ball on his path and the midfield-maestro fired home from a long range shot in the 38th minute to send the young copper bullets leading 3-1 at half time.
Chilufya then stole the lime light when he scored twice within a space of three minutes when he found the back of the net in the 50th minute before rounding off a sweet evening with another, four minutes later but it was Sakala who put the icing on the cake with wonderful strike in the 64th minute.
Zambia coach Beston Chambeshi eulogised his free-scoring wonder-boys saying the team was able to achieve what fans least expected.
“They have proved to the doubting Thomases that they can do wonders. We will remain focussed and aim for a win against Egypt,” Chambeshi said.
Meanwhile, his Mali counterpart Baye Ba described the 6-1 humiliation as historic as no team in Africa had beaten them with such a disappointing margin.
Zambia’s victory took them to six points, four better than Egypt who moved to two points after they played out a 1-1 draw with Guinea earlier at the same venue while Guinea and Mali are tied on a point each.
The final round of Group A matches will be played simultaneously on Saturday, March 4 where Zambia will play Egypt at the same venue while Mali and Guinea will square out at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola at15:00hrs.
Acting President Inonge Wina and former president Rupiah Banda were part of the crowd that cheered the boys.
Chambeshi joins Patrick Phiri and George Lwandamina as the only coaches to have guided the U-20 squad to the World Cup.
The last time Zambia featured at the global showpiece was in 2007 in Canada.
