Sun, 05 Mar 2017 09:16:45 +0000
By GRACE CHAILE and BENNIE MUNDANDO
A TEARING display from Patson Daka and a mix of individual brilliance and good footwork from goal-poacher Fashion Sakala gave Zambia a resounding 3-1 win against Egypt at the National Heroes stadium in Lusaka yesterday at the on-going 2017 AfCON Under-20 tournament.
And speaking after the match, President Edgar Lungu commended the team for an excellent display and urged them to stay focussed and aim to be in the final.
“The boys have done a good job. They should continue working hard and aim to win the semi-final,” the President said.
The young bullets scored all their three goals in the second half after a stuttering first half in which Egypt messed up the rhythm of the game with their off-side traps and delaying tactics especially after scoring the opener.
But Zambia roared back to life in the second half to collect maximum nine points with 10 goals to top group A.
Egypt found the back of the net through Karim Hassan with 35 minutes played after some sloppy defending by Zambia.
Egypt then resorted to delaying tactics and frustrated the hosts with their clumsy and disappointing display as the young Pharaohs managed to keep their opponents at bay, forcing Zambia coach Beston Chambeshi to substitute the ineffective Chrispine Sakulanda for Emmanuel Banda, seconds before half time.
That substitution and hard talk with the boys by the technical bench at the break seemed to spark Zambia as the boys came back rejuvenated and replicated their free-flowing football, with Banda orchestrating most of the attacks forcing Egypt to play in their own half for most parts of the second half.
The boys’ resilience and hunger for goals paid dividends when they levelled through Patson Daka who tapped in from close range to send fans who were unceremoniously quiet after Egypt scored back on their feet.
Sakala tormented the young Pharaohs’ with his dazzling runs on the left wing as his commanding personality on the pitch intimidated the opponents who retreated to the box each time he was in possession.
Enock Mwepu’s brilliant interceptions then counted when he collected the ball from the middle of the field and blitzed his way forward laying a neat pass to Banda whose square pass found Sakala on the left wing to score with a dinking header.
Daka completed a memorable evening with his second goal of the day at the stroke of full time.
Meanwhile, Guinea yesterday joined Zambia in the semis after beating Mali 3-2 at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium in Ndola ahead of the two round of matches to be played today between South Africa and Sudan as well Senegal and Cameroon.
