Asanovic defends Zambia after CHAN flop

Chipolopolo Zambia coach Aljosa Asanovic is defiant that he picked the best team possible despite their unconvincing performance en route to a 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier exit.

The 2009 CHAN third-place finishers were eliminated from next January’s race to Algeria by Mozambique, who beat Zambia 1-0 at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on July 30 to bow out by the same margin following a scoreless first leg draw away in Maputo on July 24.

Chipolopolo’s failure to qualify for the second-tier AFCON exclusively for home-based players sees Zambia tumble in their quest to secure a fourth successive CHAN appearance.

Zambia was not convincing but fortunately blessed with an abundance of scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half, in which they had at least five chances before Mozambique came to play in the second half.

“I have been almost for one month with these guys; nobody knows what we are doing in the camp because you are not with us,” Asanovic said.

“You don’t know how many times we have had meetings to analyse things and how to plot for things on the pitch or how many hours we talk with these guys not only about football but also about their private lives.”

Chipolopolo’s CHAN qualification flop came a fortnight after lifting the 2022 COSAFA Cup in Durban where they beat Namibia 1-0 in the final on July 17.

It also didn’t help matters that two of the most prolific strikers from the 2021/2022 season Ricky Banda, who won the Golden Boot and Player of the Year Award, and Albert Kangwanda failed to make an impact in the 2022 CHAN qualifiers.

Last season, Banda and Kangwanda scored a combined total of 28 league goals but have now gone three and two international games respectively without a Chipolopolo goal.

“These guys are amazing for me these guys I tell them in my dressing room for me you are my heroes. OK, we didn’t get the result, but it will come tomorrow for sure,” Asanovic said.

Mozambique advanced to August’s final qualifying stage to play Malawi. The Mambas advanced to August’s final qualifying stage to play Malawi, seeking their second CHAN appearance since 2014, while the latter is eyeing a tournament debut.

Asanovic’s local call-ups, on the other hand, are now left to fight for limited international opportunities available between now and next March following the rescheduling of this Septembers’2023 AFCON qualifiers due to November’s 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“I don’t want to change anything. I had a couple of guys who were injured. I just want to continue working with these guys, so support these young guys,” Asanovic said.

“In football, sometimes you need the wind behind your back. But today, we didn’t have the wind.”

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