By Al Gunn at Brisbane Road
The saying for when a team performs poorly is, “We didn’t turn up today”. For Zambia’s friendly at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road stadium in London against a Ghana team led by Chelsea’s Michael Essien, the saying was the truth.
Starting with only nine professionals, Herve Renard was forced to call upon three unknown UK-based amateurs as William Njobvu and Emmanuel Mayuka had not arrived on time from Israel.
A thrilling first half saw Ghana seal the match. The scoring opened after 11 minutes, Inter’s Sulley Muntari converting a cross from close range. It was two when Hichani Himonde volleyed an embarrassing own goal half an hour in. Zambia rallied. The energetic Given Singulumu played in clubless Stopilla Sunzu, who blasted into the top corner.
But the game was sealed with five minutes of the first half remaining when Dennis Banda conceded a penalty. He was sent off and Junior Agogo converted. Haminu Draman ended the first half with a fourth goal, shortly after Njobvu and Mayuka had entered play. They replaced amateurs Kasase Kabwe and Lengwe Kapotwe. Kapotwe has only come on to replace the injured Njambe Mulenga after eight minutes. His international career lasted 34 minutes.
Reduced to 10 men, Zambia defended manfully in an insipid second half, which Ghana strolled through. After the game, Zambia failed to attend the press conference, where Ghana manager Milovan Rajevac had polite words for his weak opponents. Ghana’s towering defender Francis Dickoh regretted that the likes of his FC Utrecht colleague Jacob Mulenga had not been able to play, providing the Black Stars with more of a challenge. He was surpised to learn that he had been playing against an amateur strike-force. Yet he praised left-winger Fwayo Tembo’s performance, a view echoed by the Chipolopolo fans who named him Zambia’s stand out performer.[quote]
Despite being proud to see their nation put in a hard-working performance against a superior side, the abiding memory for UK-based Zambians will be the shambolic organisation surrounding the game. With tickets selling at £20, fans felt it was an opportunity lost to showcase their best players. Most were critical of FAZ with some blaming the UK for not granting Visas. The real reasons for the no-show of so many Zambian professionals remain to be explained.
Zambia team: Kaumbwa; Kasonde, Himonde, Banda, Mulenga ((Kapotwe, 8′) Nyobvu 42′); Sakuwaha, Sunzu, Singuluma, Tembo; Zulu, Kabew (Mayuka 42′)
Al Gunn’s interview with Ghana\’s Francis Dickoh after the Zambia vs Ghana Match. Ghana won 4-1
What a shame!!! Why should we always be the ones on the wrong or unfair side of things? It’s so disheartening to note that just when hope for the rebirth of Zambia’s football prowess was eminent, we have this. I can’t quite find better words to describe this R.U.B.B.I.S.H Kalu & his galus at FAZ were alive to the fact that an issue of visas wud surface at some point bearing in mind that the game was to be played on foreign soil. Why did they wait until the eleventh hour? Who will ever take us serious next time when it comes to friendlies? Ghana is not in our league anymore & it was our rare opportunity to prove our mantle against this African giant…but what foolishness!!! FAZ wasted ‘Black Stars’ time, our UK based fans’ time & tax payers money. Africa cup may aswell be a…
One blogger here once said,” Zambia is a JOKE.”
Our hope of hoisting the Africa Cup may just aswell remain a pipedream. What else can one expect from such mediocrity? These friendlies have a significance on how we stand on world rankings. But with such jokes who knows? I don’t know what else is left that which is really ours. Because football was all that we had and now it has been taken away. I’ll wait for the Algeria game against Zambia before we petition for Kalu & his galus’ resignation. Enough is enough!!!
I don’t know whether to blame this spoiled Kid called GALU for this shambolic organisation or the PE Teacher that he dumped on us. The Great GALU was busy organizing his wedding and drew his entire executive into it. Those in SA watch it on TOP Billing tonight on SABC 3 @19:30 to see what am talking about. Basically there was nobody to organise this, and take advantage of this great and rare chance. A least as a Great GALU you should learn to delegate organisations to your other small GALUs.Nobody will take us serious and we shall be confined to prep matches with Choma Rangers, Lesotho, Botswana. Even Zesco or Zanaco wouldn’t want to have their time wasted like this.
Lastly, I still believe Patrick Phiri would have done us proud if he was the coach. I still have doubts Mr PE…
Agony is: Being a Zambian Soccer Fan!
Too much politiking pa Zed. Zambians talk too much and their performances very terrible. No wonder our country is currently on stand still in-terms of development. It seem nothing is moving in this country and it is politiking as usual.
What a Joke. They cry for quality matches and they mess up. I think Ba li tu ti piwila Ba ya bwe!!
Kalusha must just leave the running of football to those who are competent. The chap is just incompetent and selfish. He hounded proven administrator like Teddy mulonga out of FAZ just to earn some quid etc.Kalu aleya!
faz shud go bullshit
Never say never
Umusebanya Mwatuletela.
How can we surely fail to raise a team because of VISA issues? surely we knew about this friendly more than two weeks ago. and this chap Eric Mwanza kept lying to the nation about the situation. and we being zambians what are we gonna do? Suffer peacefully…….what a joke of a country we are!
owee…..next tie do better guys…Iyee chipolpolo
This sort of disorganisation. One there was enough time to round up all professionals and apply for visas. When to travelling to Europe, those guys have no sense of urgency and we are to blame. Right now Algeria is busy with its preparations for us its choas. I have always said Great Galu was a star player but falls per below a seasoned administrator. The chap was busy organising his wedding with almost the whole executive. This type of disorganisation wil even affect the performance of Zesco in Club Champions League in Sudan as their players will have to connect to Khatoum and be fielded without enough rest. If FAZ realised the difficult in assembling a full strength National Team, they should instead have selected a home side. I ahve always sided with Simata Simata’s idea of reserve…
the story is different .kalu was given the opportunity to play at the last minute ,after the teams ghana wanted to play refused.so kalu could not organise just like that .thats is why unregistered players were even allowed to play .it was just for fun and coming from zed,we think uk is so special that the coach was pursuaded to travel .
Lessons have to be learned.
GO ZAMBIA GO.
The rubbish will be concluded in Algeria and will be watching serious teams in SA 2010.
Slaughtered! This is not funny anymore. Awe sure. Anyways how can amateurs compete agains Michael Essien, Muntanri and Junior Abolo.
Nothing to smile about pa zed!!!
#13, i admire your spirit!!!
The Country is being let down by poor organisation cum management. We have enough good footballers but we cannot expect them to perform well when they are not organised properly. This poor management is now very evident in the way national issues are being conducted. Take the change to new passports. Some arrogant civil servant/minister decided to carry out this mammoth task, which should have taken five years, in a few months. The result has been errors, lost application forms. But more seriously, the demoralisation of the men and women who have been trying to meet this silly deadline.
A nation which is not proud of the way national issues are managed cannot develop. My heart bleeds for mother Zambia.
The result is not surprising. Atleast ba some of us, expected this routing. And the outing to London became useless immediately FAZ failed to secure visas for the other professionals. Why field playeres who will never make the team in Algeria. I am very sure Ghana fielded the players they are banking on to reach them to the finals. When are we ever going to learn surely. Uyu musebanya wacilamo…am sure people like Essien were even feeling frustrated playing such a weak Zambian team. I have doubts about the Zambia beating Algeria in Algiers….katwishi mwandini.
THIS EXPLAINS WHY WE LOSE IMPORTANT MATCHES, NOTHING IS TAKEN SERIOUS IN ZAMBIA STARTING WIH REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, FAZ PRESIDENT, FAZ COACHES. YOU DISPAPPOINTED GHANANIANS TOO COS THEY WOULD HAVE ARRANGED TO PLAY ANOTHER COUNTRY WHICH IS SERIOUS. YOU ARE A LET DOWN AND MUST BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. UK GOVT DOES NOT REFUSE VISAS FOR PLAYERS TO PLAY FOR THEIR COUNTRY. ALL COUNTRIES WERE BUSY LAST NIGHT FEATURING THEIR BEST TEAMS POSSIBLE. YOU WILL BE MASSACRED IN ALGERIA. BE PROFESSIONAL THE WAY YOU DO YOUR JOBS IN FAZ
Zambia has failed at all levels… the only ‘goo’ thing that can come out are fat corrupt people… Look at FAZ, How do you start organising visa’ a day before the game? The ‘fox’ just leave before your name is ruined… And this Kalusha Bwalya is just bussy marrying and making money out of a disfunctional country… ACOUNTRY BEGINING WITH THE LAST LETTER OF THE ALPHABET REALLY MAKES US FEEL WE NEED TO COME OUT LAST IN EVERYTHING…NO WONDER
Ba Mule #16 how many lessons should we have? Zed yalipwa.Even people who have been at war are doing better in sports,economically namwisomo.Go to google and find out the university ranking.
Goodmorning
Honestly , I had feared even a wider margin by the end of the first half. Against the background of circumstances, I think 4-1 is a bearable defeat.
#25, surely olo chikopo how many re-test are you allowed to sit for before you pass your test. We seem to lack dearly in terms of organising ourselves in this civilised society. The buck stops at the manger responsible for logistics. Its not like how we obtain our passports, visa are a tricky one. Planning bane. I am really let down by these shambolic arrangement..
What a batch of nonsense coming from Kalusha Bwalya. You knew you will be playing Ghana in a friendly a long time ago and as such adequate preparations should have been put in place to get VISAs. All you’re doing is merry making in South Africa. I wonder how FAZ is being run now. Teddy Mulonga was far much better than this disorganisation we’re seeing. This was the best chance to qualify to the World Cup since Africa is featuring 6 teams now as a hosting continent. You’ve blown it again. Surely Government must withdraw funding until this Kalu led administration is organised. Kalu must tell the nation why they are so disorganised. Featuring amateur players in a national team? Where these players insured in case of any injuries? And this Renard guy decided to go aheard with amateurs,…
Zambia is no longer a football giant. It collapsed with ZCCM. It was ZCCM thru its copperbelt football teams that made the national team successful. You are dead without money. We should not be suprised by this low standard football.
As for organisation regarding visas, well, just look at Sata-HH Pact organising the impeachment. The guys couldnt know Parliament would not be sitting. Poor organisation all over.
@#28
Renard is also a joker. how does he even accept? This game was meant to be for preparations against Algeria. Was he assessing those amateurs as well? Tax payers money was used for a stupid tour. The axe must fall. There is no way we shoule accept such nonsense. No way!
Cannot comprehend the fact that this is happening at a senior level!!!
#29. You are right about the standard of football after the collapse of ZCCM. But does the collapse of ZCCM also mean the collapse of logic and competence? I will tell you what is wrong. Kalusha Bwalya is the wrong link. the current crop at FAZ have no administrative competence whatsoever.What can Marcha or Munaile do? It agony being Zambia i tell you!
Ba LT what was wrong with my comment? All i said Kalu and his team used tax payers money for what turnrd out to be a touristic visit. How could we have used students to play for the National team? How did Herve Renard accept this? Tax payers money was used and we all are quiet. Is this the kind of leadership we want? It starts at this level and then proceeds to government.That is why our government does everything wrong and we all just watch!
zambia is just a bad-oing
FAZ has no secretariat. What is the job of a secretary general at FAZ who is a full time employee? If Kalu cannot see that George Kasengele is a liability, then he should go with him. Enough is enough! Fire SG and bring in a proffessional to run football. FAZ presidency is just ceremonial period!
U people, leave Kalu and the team alone. When we camp in SA, you have issues saying we play Orlando Pirates reserves. At least the boys played a stronger team and travelled to London and mixed with super stars. If Ghana did not have players based in England and those with European passports, they could have been in similar position. Our players are also dull, are you telling me they don’t read the internet that they were in the team? , Andrew, Mwaba Chris and Jacob would have made their own arrangements for visa and travel to London, its not far from where they play. How did Jabob’s team mate from Ghana make it? Holland is just across the English Channel about two hours away. FAZ should next time have at least 15 local players so that we are assured of a team.
Thought of going to support the match. Looks like I missed nothing and saved myself a few quid. Better luck next time boys…
LETS PROMOTE OTHER SPORTS TOO, LIKE CHIYATO, CHIDUNU, KAMULYA KAMUSEKA ETC
The shambolic and embarassing results aside. Let us pay gratitude to those boys who sacrifised and played Ghana. 10 men losing by 4-1 is not bad, we lost by 5-1 to Cameroun at the AFCON. Lets learn from this mistake and as I said earlier they should not have used ZESCO payers, because we are now going to “lose two birds from one stone” if that injury suffered by our defender is serious and if the rest fail to make it on time to Sudan. We shall Overcome someday.
Our next outing to Algeria will be a mere formality. We should count ourselves out of ever Dreaming making it to 2010 World South Africa. We are never serious and will never learn from the past. Its painful to waste taxpayers money. Whoever was involved in this whole bizarre should be made to reimburse the treasury. That money would have made sense if it was given to Chess Grandmaster Amos Simutowe and team. FAZ is full of incompetent men. If you mention their names they threaten to take legal action. No wonder Zesco left for Sudan minus FAZ official.
People where is Caristo Chitamfya?
i was there. Zambia could have won if all the players came.All the goals ghana scored where flukes.
Kalusha bwalya must go. The ***** is not interested in our country, He was busy organising his wedding and honeymoon instead of getting visas for the players..
those guys who played shud be given allowances for the services they contributed to zambia.whats rubbish.come 05-09-2009 we will see the harvest. galu shud resign
What a messed up FIFA day! We’ll be number 31in Afrika and 157in the World. Great Kalu for FAZ prezident haz alwayz given me gooze pimplez.
It is very sickening to hear only negative things about our beloved country. We can not run the country, economy, football etc, whats wrong with our leadership. mediocrity has become very normal in our country such that no one feels accountable for anything he or she does. surely in a normal functional place someone needs to explain why funds were spent on the national team outing obviously to achieve certain outcomes and the opposite happened. why even travel if you do not have the team. When was Zambia exempted from VISA requirements in Europe, GREAT GALU must know better since he lived there. WE NEED TO WAKE UP AS A COUNTRY AND START QUESTIONING ISSUES LIKE THIS. I AM PERSONALLY FADE UP!
SHIDADA says: U people, leave Kalu and the team alone. When we camp in SA, you have issues saying we play Orlando Pirates reserves. At least the boys played a stronger team and travelled to London and mixed with super stars. If Ghana did not have players based in England and those with European passports, they could have been in similar position. # 36 WHEN I READ THIS NONSENSE YOU POSTED I REALISED WHY AS A COUNTRY WE ARE SO BEHIND. KALU IS INCHARGE OF FAZ. The reason we wanted to play friendly match is not to mix with stars for the sake of it. Ghana had their squad in Europe not becoz of the nonsense reasons you have provided here but because they are organised. A Ghanian player playing same club with Jacob Mulenga managed for example, so what is your crap about? Dont post rubbish!
I dont know why we are like that as zambians, why would the FAZ officials tolerate such things to happen………………..
BATULO SANA
46 i agree with you!!!!!!! zali % what is number 36 talking about?????
“read the internet!!!”
haha give me a break!! first of all which national team hav u ever heard of where players have to surf the net to find out if they have been called to play for their national team!! lol!!! “mixing with stars” if you believe travelling all the way to london jus to help Ghana train is a step foward then please keep your low standards to yourself!!!! haa people lets be serious!!!! next time think carefully before you post!!!!!!!!
go zambia go,wen things are not rite,pipo run away but wen things r rite pipo flock lyk flies,go zambia go
honestly….what kind of management do we have?!……