ZAMBIA 6-1 MALI
The result seriously doesn’t mean Mali isn’t a good side but has a lot to say of the pedigree of the junior Chipolopolo. Mali is a good side and ironically these teams may meet in the final! its possible!!
On a broiling evening at the Heroes Stadium , Zambia’s ever-mercurial footballers had a taste of how a tournament’s crucial game on home soil should end. This was a free-wheeling exhibition against a Mali side who took just 5 minutes to lead the host and make Heroes crowd quite.
The raptures heralding the Zambian advance to the semi finals and subsequently qualify to the World Cup at under 20 suggest that the fragile bond between players and the public is at least starting to be restored.
Thank you Fashion Sakala for that. There is supposed to be only one Fashion in Lusaka and the performance of the man of the match and the boys proved to be the centrepiece of a savage demolition. The name Fashion echoed all around the stadium, never more so than when he lashed the ball into the roof of the net for his second and Zambia’s sixth. It is a rare talent who inspired ZANACO to the league title , but one could see why Spartak Moscow have pursued Fashion so determinedly.
To be among the fan’s seething masses in the stadium was to realise how Lusaka has effectively turned this tournament into a football event that will never be forgotten by the fans.
There is little doubt that Bestone Chambeshi’s team of under-20s regard the competition with the utmost seriousness. The tournament that Zambia has never won and unfortunately it is now expected that fans will believe this is the time. That’s more pressure for the boys. But this time, for me Enock Mwepu and the team looks more hungrier which showed as they went behind early on in the first half.
The player’s reaction at the final whistle, celebrating with all the fans showed and was a reminder of how much they cared for this tournament.
The country desperately needs heroes from this turbulent tournament and so far the boys are in the process but nothing has been won yet. The fans need these players to come to their rescue, partly to salve the wounds of 2016 were the senior team failed to make it to the AFCON.
By degrees, the reputation of the national team is being revived. The rehabilitation will only be complete though, if they prevail in the semi final and play the final. Too often the story has been one of near-misses, that’s the story that every fan wouldn’t want to listen but get the fact nothing has been won yet .
There were signs here that the anxieties that once paralysed Zambia in front of their own had evaporated. They could not put up a good game in the first half against Guinea in their first game , but their masterclass on Wednesday, with braces apiece for Fashion and Chilufya and a goal for Enock Mwepu and Emmanuel Banda to finish off a wonderful, collective attack, stirred optimism that their big stage pressure had gone. With one more win against Egypt, the renaissance will be real.
Summary
Abdoul Dante scored in the first half for Mali in the 5th minute before Fashion Sakala equalised in the 8th minute, Emmanuel Banda put Zambia in front in the 25th minute and Enock Mwepu added a third in the 38th minute to end the half with a comfortable 3-1 lead.
Edward Chilufya came with purpose in the second half scoring in the 51st and 54th minute and Fashion Sakala scored perhaps what will be the goal of the tournament in the 66th minute.
WHAT IT MEANS
Zambia lead the group and confirm finishing top of the group. That means Lusaka residents will again be watching the team at Heroes Stadium in the semi finals. The team also qualifies to the under 20 world cup slated for May 2017.
WHO JOINS ZAMBIA?
All the three teams in the group will have a chance of making it to be second in the group.
Egypt
Will qualify if they beat Zambia regardless of the result in the Mali Vs Guinea game.
A draw will also be enough for Egypt if Guinea and Mali play to a draw.
Egypt will be out if there will be a winner in the Guinea Vs Mali game and if Zambia beats Egypt.
Mali and Guinea
The two teams will be supporting Zambia as the Zambia win is the only result that guarantees one of them making it.
Only a win by one of these teams and a loss of Egypt is the only way out of this group.
Should Zambia beat Egypt and these two draw then it will be the most crazy criteria to have one team qualify as all the three will be on two points. Mali though will have a serious dent because of the number of goals allowed against Zambia. Guinea will seize the opportunity as they would have become better off than Egypt who they share same number of goals forced and conceded so far.
It doesn’t get any better….
