CHISHALA MUSONDA reports:
ZAMBIA 1 SUDAN 1
ZAMBIA’S hopes of reaching the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil were yesterday slowed down when Sudan frustrated the Chipolopolo in a Group D qualifier at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Mohamed Koko Abdalla equalised a minute after Jacob Mulenga headed the Chipolopolo into the lead on 68 minutes and Sudan held on until the final whistle as they collected only their second point in the campaign.
Zambia goes to 11 points, two ahead of Ghana, who play Lesotho this afternoon in Maseru as the Chipolopolo and the Black Stars are set for the grand finale in Kumasi in September.
The winner of Group D will qualify to the last round and Zambia need to win that encounter whatever the outcome in Maseru today.
Coming off a comprehensive victory of the last qualifier a week ago, the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium had almost all its 42,000 seats taken with Zambian fans highly expectant of the Chipolopolo again reaping full marks but it was not until the second half that goals were witnessed in this encounter.
Needing to unsettle the visitors as early as possible, Herve Renard had strikers Collins Mbesuma and Jacob Mulenga as twin attackers but it was Chisamba Lungu, playing wide on the left, who had Zambia’s first attempt at goal in the 12th minute.
The mesmerising player found space with his magnificent ball skill on the wing and unleashed a cracker, which Sudan’s goalkeeper Eihad Mohamed parried to safety. A minute later, at the end of another promising Zambia attack, Nathan Sinkala somewhat hastely whipped his shot wide.
although not threatened in the early moments, The Zambian backline was caught on the flatfoot on 18 minutes but as soon as Kondwani Mtonga and Davies Nkausu were disposed, Sudanese striker Mudather Eltahir was caught offside.
On the other end, skipper Christopher Katongo made an attempt at goal on 20 minutes before goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene quickly came off his line to prevent Koko from making a touch to Saif Ali’s through pass after 27 minute
On 33 minutes, Mulenga had a chance to stub the ball home when Mbesuma headed it into his path but his rather late reaction gave chance to Malik Ahmed to clear the ball off his feet.
Zambia dominated play with Mukuka Mulenga and Sinkala dictating play in the midfield. Zambia upped the tempo and Eihad was forced into action again, saving a Lungu shot and before the Netherlands-based towering striker could make a touch to the ball, Faris Abdallah Hassan swept it away.
After failing to create any meaningful attempts at goal in the first half, Renard rested Noah Chivuta, who played as a left wing back for a more forceful Fwayo Tembo while Lungu shifted into defence on the left flank after the start of the second half.
The introduction of the Romania-based wing attacker brought verve into Zambia’s game on the right while Katongo moved to the left flank but the attack lost Mbesuma through an injury in the 51st minute.
Chamanga came in place of Mbesuma and the striker forced out an agile save from Eihab on 58 minutes after Mukuka’s clever pass.
Then Tembo weaved his way to the edge of the area before firing at goal but Eihab was well positioned to keep a clean sheet earning Zambia a corner.
From the resultant corner kick, Eihab blocked an earlier attempt before Chamanga weighed the ball to an unmarked Mulenga, who headed home to give Zambia the lead on 68 minutes.
The goal sent the stadium into celebration and chanting the Chipolopolo anthem but before the celebrations could die out, Koko equalised after the Zambians failed to clear their lines from a corner kick.
Zambia threw everything in front in trying to get another goal with Tembo the main attacker on the right but the Sudanese slowed down the tempo of the game as they feigned injuries to kill the tempo of Zambia’s attacks.
This forced Renard to make a desperate substitution, resting defender Nkausu for Emmanuel Mayuka but this still did not yield another goal for the Chipolopolo, who will have to wait for today’s other group game to determine their stay at the top of the group.
Lineups:
Zambia: Kennedy Mweene, Davies Nkausu (Emmanuel Mayuka 79’), Noah Chivuta (Fwayo Tembo 46’0, Kondwani Mtonga, Hichani Himonde, Nathan Sinkala, Christopher Katongo, Mukuka Mulenga, Collins Mbesuma (James Chamanga 51’), Jacob Mulenga and Chisamba Lungu.
Sudan: Eihab Mohamed, Eltahir Hassan, Faris Mamoun, Malik Ahmed, Ahmed Adam, Mohamed Koko Abdalla, Saif Ali, Salah Hassan (Adam Sayer 81’), Mudather Eltaib (Omer Kosti 90’), Amin Elmani (Nadir Elmani 42’) and Amir Suliman.
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