Young Zebras’ date with destiny

A tall order awaits the Young Zebras as they invade the Zambian capital Lusaka for a return leg of the 2015 CAF Under 23 Championship to be played at the Nkoloma Stadium against Young Chipolopolo on Sunday.

The two nations played to a 1-all draw at the Lobatse Sports Complex last Friday in the first leg of the championship’s second round qualifier. Botswana had overcome Kenya in the first round qualifier, and an aggregate win over Zambia on Sunday will see them proceed to the final qualifying round where Ivory Coast await.

Perhaps the task that lies ahead in Lusaka is more daunting for the locals than what they faced in Lobatse. This is because the Young Chipolopolo side this week received a boost of three more players the Zambians hold in high regard but were not allowed by their clubs to travel to Botswana last week. In fact, from his account of things, Zambia’s coach Fighton Simukonda does not believe that Botswana had much to offer in the first leg, regretting their failure to finish off their hosts in the first half of the match while they had the chances. Simukonda has suggested that his charges were complacent and came into Botswana believing they were going to just walk over their southern neighbours.

As if that is not enough, the Zambian coach insinuated that the referee of the day, Malawian Patrick Ngoleka, aided Botswana’s cause with what he termed poor officiating that was friendlier to the hosts. Drawing lessons from their recent aggregate loss to Nigeria in the All Africa Games qualifiers, he has since warned his players not to take things for granted this Sunday when Botswana takes to the pitch. “I still remember what happened when we played Nigeria – we held them to a goalless draw at their home ground in Abuja, but they came to beat us 2-1 at home in Lusaka. There is no home advantage anymore, and that is why we had to finish off Botswana in Lobatse while we had the chance,” he reflected after the 1-1 draw in Lobatse.

Now, in his effort to thwart any danger the Young Zebras may pose, coach Simukonda has gone cap in hand to the Zambia FA to help negotiate the release of the three new additions from their handlers, among them Larry Bwalya of Power Dynamos as well as Ronald Kampamba and Paston Daka. “We shall ensure that we come up with a strong squad and qualify,” he told Times of Zambia.

But in the Young Zebras he could be facing a team also determined to prove a point to the Zambians who two weeks ago, boasted Botswana lads were timid and scared of them. The daunting factor  for the local boys is that any result where they have failed to score in Lusaka will see them tumble out of the competition and live to spend another lengthy time without action. The 1-1 draw in Lobatse means that even a goalless draw on Sunday will see them exit the competition on the same away goal rule that saw them triumph over Kenya in the first round qualifier. And coach Mlungisi Kopi is aware of the task at hand, which is why he has planned around unsettling his opponents with an early goal.

In acknowledging the tactical supremacy the Zambians possess, the coach who holds the fort shortly after the sacking of Pio Paul has all intentions of playing offensive football  to force his opponents in to more defence than attack. But their attack will have to be spiced up with caution, lest the Zambians exploit the gaps that often open up when a team is on attack mode.

Kopi has also reiterated the importance of stifling the Zambian’s wing play as well as possession of the ball, especially in the middle of the park where they have proved dangerous. This is what the Young Zebras did against the Zambians in Lobatse, denying them too much space in the midfield to ensure they upset their creativity. If the young lads manage to score in Lusaka, and they manage to deny their opponents some time on the ball as planned, the results could easily go their way.

A win for either side will take them to the final stage of the qualifiers against Ivory Coast, where the winner makes it into the Under 23 Championships finals scheduled for Senegal. Three top teams in the Senegal tournament will represent Africa at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.