By ROBINSON KUNDA
FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Kalusha Bwalya says his executive will double its efforts next year after failing to achieve its main objective this year.
Reviewing the performance of various national teams in 2013, Kalusha (left) said the main objective was to qualify the Chipolopolo for the 2014 Brazil World Cup finals but the target was not achieved.
He said in an interview from Johannesburg yesterday that there will be need to double the effort next year for all national teams.
Kalusha said failing to qualify for the FIFA 2014 World Cup was unfortunate but the association picked some positives.
“We would like to take positives from this year. Our main target for 2013 was to qualify for Brazil 2014 World Cup finals. Unfortunately, we made two errors in Lesotho and at home against Sudan,” he said.
Zambia drew 1-1 apiece with Lesotho in Maseru on March 24 and Sudan on June 15 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
Ghana finished top in Group D with 15 points, four better than Zambia.
The 1988 Africa-footballer-of-the-year award winner said the second half of 2013 was better as Zambia hosted and won the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Senior Challenge Cup, and the Under-17 women national team qualified for the 2014 Costa Rica World Cup finals.
“Qualifying to the Under-17 World Cup was the tonic we needed for the advancement of women’s football, so I would say 2013 was alright. We are always improving but we would like to work on a four-year term,” he said.
Zambia edged South Africa 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the Costa Rica finals.
Kalusha said hard work is needed next year because Zambia’s status as 2012 African champions demands that.
The Chipolopolo finished third at the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup in Kenya while the Under-20 national team failed to defend the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COASAFA) Championship title as they finished third in Group C, which had eventual winners South Africa, Namibia and Seychelles.
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