Remain focused, U-20 told

Tue, 14 Feb 2017 10:58:11 +0000

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

NATIONAL soccer team head coach Wedson Nyirenda has urged the junior Chipolopolo to remain focused despite their 2-1 win to young Bafana Bafana in a friendly fixture played at the weekend at Nkoloma Stadium.

In an interview with Daily Nation sports in Lusaka, Nyirenda said it would be a mistake for the boys to begin to underrate other teams.

“This is no time to begin to be pompous. Football has different faces and every game is a new game.  We may have beaten South Africa consecutively but there is need for the boys to remain focused,” Nyirenda said.

Nyirenda noted that the Beston Chambeshi tutored boys have improved as they implemented the playing philosophy required by the coaches during the South Africa friendly.

“We have improved. We are playing good football now. Our new philosophy is being implemented by the boys and they are showing great character for championship materials,” Nyirenda said.

And Musonda Chibulu, a sports analyst who is also a sports writer called on the under 20 boys to humble themselves and focus on winning the championship or securing a top four position that will ensure that the boys qualify for 2017 South Korea under 20 World cup.

“The boys won the COSAFA Tournament in South Africa, they were recently in Spain where they played Spanish giants Barcelona, Busel B and Tenerife so they should not be complaisance and grow bid headed thinking that they are already stars.

“They are very good players and this is the team Zambians have got so much hope for therefore they should focus on qualifying for this year’s world cup because there are a lot of benefits in qualifying for the world cup,” he said.

Chibulu also urged Zambians to rally behind the junior chipolopolo as they represent the nation at this years under 20 Africa cup of nation.

“I would like to urge Zambia to make this tournament a memorable event by coming in large numbers to support the boys as they will be playing their first game against Guinea at heroes’ stadium,” he said.

Meanwhile soccer analyst Rueben Kamanga encouraged the boys not to relax as they continue to prepare for the tournament.

He noted that it will be crucial for the boys to command the coming fixtures the way they controlled the friendly game against South Africa.

“The boys played very well against South Africa. They were in control of the game but they must not relax. Let them guard against picking up injuries because we need a strong team that will represent the country at the tournament,” he said.

And Derick Lukwesa a Lusaka based soccer analyst called on the boys to work on scoring goals if they are to be successful during this year’s Afcon.

“The boy need to improve on their scoring abilities, they need to be sharp on goal because no matter how good you may be tactically, what matters is the way you score. The defense looked a bit shaky too so there is need for the coach to work on it before the tournament kicks off,” Lukwesa said

Zambia plays its next game against Guinea in the first fixture of the 2017 Total Under 20 Africa Cup of nation which kicks off on February 26.