Botswana is beatable
Zambia national team fondly known as Chipolopolo Boys will this Wednesday play Botswana in a back to back and the must win Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) qualifier. The match will be played in Lusaka and the return match will be played in Botswana four days later.
The Milutin "Micho" Sredojevic coached side is in Group H alongside Algeria, the AfCON defending champions, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Algeria have six points, Zimbabwe four, Botswana a paltry one point and Zambia is bottom placed without a point.
Going by the current state of affairs, Zambia is in a precarious position in the quest to qualify for Africa's biggest soccer tournament, having failed to qualify in the previous two editions.
All things being equal and football being what it is, everything is possible in the game of football. In this context, not all hope is lost for Zambia because the team can qualify for AfCON football tournament.
It is evident that the soccer enthusiasts, the soccer fans have high expectations from the Chipolopolo Boys. The soccer fans expect a positive result in the Wednesday match.
For Zambia to revive the chances of qualifying for the AfCON football tournament, the team must beat Botswana both at home and away by a cricket number of goals. This can only be realised if the players work hard, remain focused and exhibit high levels of discipline on and off the pitch.
Botswana is beatable but, there should not be any room for complacency; there are no longer underdogs in football. Teams are improving every day.
Zambia under the tutelage of coach Sredojevic have played five friendly matches preparing for the match against Botswana. Zambia in the friendly matches beat Malawi 1-0, lost 2-1 to Kenya, beat South Africa 2-1, beat Ethiopia 3-2 and 3-1 in two encounters.
The friendly matches have helped coach Sredojevic and his technical bench to access the players during the friendly matches to come up with a formidable team which comprises mostly the local players to square off against Botswana.
Truth be told; it is this one: Zambia should not underrate Botswana in the forthcoming match. Zambia should instead create a myriad of scoring opportunities and score as many goals as possible. "Mpila ndi zigoli." The Nyanja dialect means that football is about scoring goals.
The Chipoloplo Boys must tick in the defence, midfield and the frontline if victory is to be recorded on Wednesday. The win for Zambia will be a morale booster and will ultimately elate the soccer fans.
Go boys go and conquer. The nation and the soccer fans in particular are behind you.
ELEMIYA PHIRI Lusaka.