adminthey saw off the challenge of hosts Botswana in a lively semi-final at the Molepolole Sports Complex yesterday.
The Young Chipolopolo, winners of Group C, will now meet Group D victors Angola in tomorrow’s final at the University of Botswana stadium while the Young Zebras battle against Malawi in an earlier match – the third place play-off.
In the first semi-final Group D winners Angola showed their fighting spirit when they overhauled a 2-0 deficit after 62 minutes to eventually run out 4-2 winners over Malawi with their fourth goal coming right at the death via Nicolou Adriano’s header.
Angola have often found themselves trailing in their matches here but somehow they always find a way to fight back.
A goal each in the first half by Zambian midfielders Evans Kangwa in the 26th minute and Kizito Cheelo ended the Young Zebras’ hopes of winning the annual tournament on home soil.
But Zambian coach Keagan Mumba would be the first to admit that the hosts gave his defending champions a fright as the Young Zebras went down fighting and had some close opportunities either side of the break to score at least a goal or two.
Kangwa, who has charmed many neutrals here with his precision from the dead ball, settled the Zambian nerves when he struck the roof of the net from a free-kick near the edge of the box.
Any hopes of a quick recovery that Botswana had were dashed 11 minutes later when a sweeping five-man Zambian move, which started from just inside their own, half resulted in Cheelo neatly placing his effort beyond the Young Zebras goalkeeper Neo Kenalemang.
Just two minutes before the break, Botswana saw their best chance of pulling one goal back being thwarted by the woodwork after Tshepo Mokotedi’s powerful header beat Zambian goalkeeper Moses
Mapulanga but could only rebound off the cross bar. The hosts made two changes five minutes after resumption as they desperately sought to come back into the game and forced the Zambians into some desperate defending.
Online Reporter