PLAYER RATING; ZAMBIA 0 MOZAMBIQUE 0 (2015 AFCON QUALIFIER) The scoreless draw with Mozambique at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium may have rightly been viewed as a loss by the thousands of fans that had trudged to the stadium hoping for maximum points in the opener for the 2015 Africa Cup race. It was not by accident that for the first time fans had to register their displeasure by pelting missiles on the hitherto sacred grounds of Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. Here is how the Chipolopolo boys fared. Kennedy Mweene: was rarely tested on a day that Zambia’s undoing was a blunt strike force. To rate Mweene would be somehow smack of injustice although the grace with which he has taken his dropping as deputy skipper could be worth applauding. Emmanuel Mbola: with a football age pegged at 21 years, a lot could have been expected of the once promising star but to struggle to even just hold down his lines against a weakened opposition shows just how low his game has dropped. Whatever happened to the rampaging wingback who easily found it easy to whip in regular crosses. 5.0. Kabaso Chongo: if he could be rated for anything on the day, it probably has to be his weird hairdo. He could hardly muster a decent cross and was lucky that Mozambique through point man Sonito Manjate were laying back in their half. 5.5. Stoppilla Sunzu: Perhaps one of the rare lights on a day. There was little going Zambia’s way and perhaps just showed his fearsome side in the 36th minute when he body checked Manjate to show what a commander he is in the area. He was imposing on aerial tussles and few would have complaints on his being handed the captaincy when Katongo left the pitch. 7.0. Nyambe Mulenga: was lucky to escape a second bookable offence with his at times clumsy challenges leaving his teammates on the edge. Against more pressing opposition it would have been riskier leaving the Zesco United defender closer to the penalty area. 6.0. Nathan Sinkala: Did not exactly have a lot of mop up to do but will be happy with his contribution however anonymous. 5.0. Chisamba Lungu: maybe have pushed himself too hard at times to make his efforts aimless. His all round contribution was on point but could have done better with his efforts at goal. Maybe suffered from doubts who should have been closest to the goal in the Zambian set up. The best Zambian player on the pitch. 8.0. Given Singuluma: 6.0. Rainford Kalaba: his contribution in the first half was flawless but had the misfortune of being caught offside one too many times. He faded a bit in the second half. 7.5 Jacob Mulenga: not exactly the start he may have hoped for but could have done better in tucking away in the 45th minute. 6.5. Christopher Katongo: Coach Honour Janza may have read the signs when he withdrew him for Mukuka Mulenga in the 67th minute. 5.0. Substitutes: Collins Mbesuma: came on at the pressure point with the crowd getting impatient with the team and hardly had the impact he could have hoped for. 5.0 Mukuka Mulenga: Not rated. Coach: Honour Janza: opted for a none-tested starting frontline that had Jacob Mulenga, Christopher Katongo when probably convention had it that either a Mayuka and Katongo partnership or Mulenga and Mbesuma partnership was more logical. Mulenga and Katongo had before today not played together after a James Chamanga combination with the Turkey based striker delivered at the 2010 Africa Cup. Credit to him, went some way in showing authority by withdrawing Katongo at a time his performance on the pitch were fading. Overall and given the magnitude of the task and the opponent, he obviously would be the first to know it was a less than commendable competitive debut. 5.0.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Sep 2014 08:09:38 +0000
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