‘BEST NOT GOOD ENOUGH’

MUKWIMA CHILALA writes @SunZambian ZAMBIA national team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredejovic has said the 3 – 1 defeat to Morocco African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarter-final saw the team giving their best but it was not enough as the first ten minutes sealed their doom. “Our players gave their best, however it is unacceptable in the first 10 minutes that we gave away advantage in a red card and two goals,” he said in a post-match press briefing. “I really wanted to go all the way but realistically speaking despite stretching all human and sport limits I need to be sincere and accept that despite players giving everything unfortunately we could not reach beyond this stage. This is the reality.” Micho added that the quality of play reflected the gulf between the two sides and that there was need to build the quality of the Zambian league. “You know that we have played against a team from a country where two teams Wydad and Raja Casablanca were in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League and whatsoever, this is a pure reflection of their football,” he said. “It is means that we need to work hard and rise above and be in the group stages of the Champions League and then on the CHAN to expect beyond quarterfinal.” Morocco started the match strong, living up to their favorite tag, while Zambia looked jittery from the first whistle leading to them conceding in the first minute. Morocco’s Sofiane Rahimi opened the scores in the first minute but was only confirmed after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision was invoked. Morocco doubled the lead in the sixth minute as Zambia continued to look jittery in defence. The woes for Zambia could not have been worse as  defender Zachariah Chilongoshi was in the 23 minute shown a red card for fouling Morrocan Ali. It couldn’t have gotten any worse for Chipolopolo as the Morrocans were awarded a penalty in the 38’ minute after Paul Katema was adjudged to have handled the ball in the eighteen area.  Ayoub EL Kaabi converted from the spot to give the defending champions a three nil lead going into the second half. Zambia’s coach  Milutin Micho Sredejovic changed his formation  going into second half withdrawing defenders for strikers as he brought on Moses Phiri for Kelvin Kapumbu in the 45 minute while Emmanuel Chabula later came on for Benson Sakala in the 54 minute. With the match headed for a three nil win for Morocco, substitute Phiri scored for Zambia  in the 84 minute to give the Chipolopolo a consolation. It could however have been worse for Zambia but Morroco’s fourth goal was only denied by VAR for being adjudged to have been offside. This is the third time Zambia are falling through at the quarter final stage after being ejected at the same level of the competition in 2016 and 2018.