adminRUBAVU. — Zambia captain Christopher Katongo says he is not going to get sleepless nights over his missed penalty on Sunday night. Katongo missed Zambia’s opening post-match penalty in their 5-4 shoot-out loss to Guinea in the 2016 African Nations Championship (Chan) quarter-finals following a scoreless draw at the end of extra-time. The Zambia captain said it was his duty to lead from the front whatever the consequences on the night in Rubavu.
“I am disappointed but as a leader you need be up in front and give players confidence,” Katongo said. “I am bound to make mistakes; if Cristiano Ronaldo can make a mistake, who am I? “This is part of football and the challenges we face as players.”
Katongo, though, had played an instrumental role in inspiring Zambia to the last eight scoring the winner in Chipolopolo’s 1-0 victory over Uganda on January 27 in their penultimate Group D match to see them advance with a match to spare.
Meanwhile, the veteran striker also had a great opportunity to send Zambia through to the Chan semi-finals dashed in the 83rd minute when his goal was disallowed for a marginal offside.
Katongo, who was not part of the Chan qualifiers, was also making his first return to the team since October 2014 when he was axed by former coach Honour Janza in a major cull of the old guard that has now been reserved under his successor George Lwandamina.— SuperSport.
Online Reporter