adminFrom Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Bulawayo
Zambia………………….. (5) 6
South Africa…………….(0) 1
ZAMBIA were yesterday at the centre of a storm after they fielded an Under-20 boys squad instead of the Under-17s in their African Union Sports Council Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games Group B opening football match against defending champions South Africa.
The tournament requires that the boys’ teams be Under-17s while the girls and the rest of the disciplines bring in their Under-20s.
“Yes, we brought in our Under-20 squad, why did South Africa bring in juniors?
“We were told it was optional to either bring in the Under-17s or Under-20s so we chose the latter,” said a clearly excited Zambian coach Hector Chilombo.
Before coming to Bulawayo confusion reigned supreme in the Zambian camp over which age-group to bring for the biannual tournament with theFootball Association of Zambia (FAZ) finally dropping their Under-20 team manager Daniel Jere for allegedly misinforming the government on the correct age-group to send.
According to the Zambian Times newspaper, Jere failed to heed Cosafa’s invitation letter to FAZ that Zambia was supposed to send the Under-17 team for the championship with the Under-20 women.
From the first whistle it was evidently clear that the South Africans were going to be pummelled into submission by the physically fit Zambians who later on proved their tactical maturity compared to the young Amajimbos.
It came as no surprise therefore when they stormed into the lead five minutes into the match through hat-trick hero, Patrick Daka who scored with a shot from inside the box with goalkeeper and captain Sanele Tshabalala diving in vain.
Two minutes later Daka was asking questions again in the South Africans goal, although Tshabalala was found sleeping on duty on that occasion as he literally fumbled the ball into the nets as he again dived in vain.
In the 16th minute the handful Daka was to haunt his opponents once more, this time unleashing a bullet from close range.
The South Africans could have pulled one back 13 minutes into the match when Tebogo Qinisile’s bullet from about 30 metres out was parried for a corner by Mangani Banda who was on holiday throughout the match, probably enjoying the beautiful Luveve turf.
Tsepiso Mahlangu was to increase Zambia’s lead in the 25th minute when he beat his own goalkeeper as Chilombo’s boys pilled some relentless pressure.
The fifth Zambian goal came five minutes before the break from an out of the box Harrison Musonda shot.
The teams went to the break with Zambia 5-0 to the good.
South Africa began the second half tactically disciplined as they tried to clow back into the game but the only thing they got was a yellow card in the 48th minute given to their striker Edwin Sekhwana for simulation inside the box.
A minute later more misery befell the young South Africans when Patrick Ngoma struck from an acute angle.
It was his last major contribution before being taken out for Samson Banda in the 56th minute.
Amjimbos took out Vuyo Mantjie and Malebogo Modise for Leago Mekgote and Wiseman Meyiwa in a bit to bring in fresh legs into the heavy Luveve turf.
The move paid seemed to yield some results as they restricted their opponents into playing long balls and shooting from a distance while also doing a lot of marking.
In the 68th minute, Jonathan Daka was shown a straight red after a professional foul on Meyiwa inside the box and up stepped Felix Noge to take the spot kick. He sent Banda the wrong way for his side’s consolation goal.
“It was a grudge match for us. We told the boys that it was important to win the first match, we have shown South Africans that we are far much better than them,” said Chilombo.
Online Reporter