Zambia will today face Zimbabwe in the final of 2017 COSAFA Castle cup. The match is a repeat of the 2013 final and both teams are looking at making history and becoming the first team to win the title for an unmatched fifth time.
The two neighbours will lock horns at the Royal Bafokeng Palace Stadium at 15:00 hrs to bring down the curtain on what has been a fantastic tournament. Zambia has a more richer football history in comparison to Zimbabwe and below are five reasons why Zambia should win this encounter.
MAKE HISTORY
The winner between the two neighbours will become the all time winner of the COSAFA Castle cup with five titles. Zambia has always been known to many as a power house in African Football and winning the COSAFA Castle cup for a record fifth time will cement that place.
GIVE NYIRENDA, KAMANGA AND FA BREATHING SPACE
Football is a very ungrateful sport and whether you are part of a team or the coach of that team you are only as good as your last result. The Zambia National team coach Wedson Nyirenda is not the most popular person amongst the fans and Winning the COSAFA Castle cup will buy him time to implement his philosophy, The one he has been preaching about since being appointed.
The president of the Association might not be directly incharge of what happens during games but he gets the same amount of blame if not more when results don’t go his way, So it’s safe to say a win will also benefit him one way or another.
REDEMPTION
Ever since the U20 won COSAFA, AFCON and reached the quarter finals of the world cup all within a space of six months the fans have lost faith in the senior national soccer team. This can be seen by the little crowd the team commanded when they played against Mozambique just a month or two from when the U20 used to fill up a 60 thousand capacity Heroes Stadium. The fans behaviour can be justified by the fact that since 2012 Chipolopolo has not been the same team. Three AFCON tournaments have been held, two group stage clash outs and the last one, well they failed to even qualify. COSAFA Castle cup is not on top of the fans favourite trophy list but atleat is something to go by besides the Dream team’s magical six months also started from COSAFA.
PROVE HOW GOOD ZSL IS
The team Zambia is using at the tournament is not their strongest local based sides. Zesco United and Zanaco were both still participating in continental Football at the time the team was named hence their players could not be picked for this tournament. Wedson also left out other outstanding players from the Super league like Fwayo Tembo, Cletus Chota Chama and others whether by design or choice if this side wins the tournament then ZSL would have proved how good it is.
PRESTIGE AND BRAGGING RIGHTS
In football bragging rights are a real thing. A team with more wins/ titles over the other will claim to be the better side even though that status can’t be guaranteed. Zimbabwe and Zambia share more than just a boarder but many other things like the Victoria Falls, Similar Cultures and more. Beating the Warriors will give Zambia some sense of pride and prestige moreover it’s the one that even has won an AFCON tournament before while the other has just made four appearances with group stage elimination every time.
