ZAMBIA CRIES FOUL

...as Under-17 boys claims silver at the Cosafa games in Maseru

ZAMBIA Under-17 football coach George Chilufya was left frustrated after the junior Chipolopolo failed to scoop the 2021 Cosafa U-17 trophy following a 2-1 defeat to Angola in the final played at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru.

In a post-match interview, Chilufya expressed disappointment as he felt that the boys from Angola were over aged.

Chilufya however hailed his team for putting up a good fight against a very organised side to pick silver at the Region Five games.

"It’s been a very nice journey for the sake of development for our football. I don't know I may be wrong or I may be right but the boys fought and they gave everything.

"Credit goes to them but I don't know if MRI just works for Lesotho, for Zambia, for Namibia and some other countries and not the other team (Angola).

“I think credit goes to my boys they really played against a very organised side but again I'm not sure because I believe in what my eyes tell me so credit goes to the boys," Chilufya said.

He added that the boys were ready to graduate to represent the country at a higher level after impressing in Maseru.

The Junior Chipolopolo were unlucky to miss out on Gold after putting up a decent fight in the final which was dominated by the Angolans who went ahead 11 minutes after kick off.

Luis Eusebio found the back of the net for Angola after benefitting from Simao Pedro free kick. It didn't take long for the Junior Chipolopolo to get the equaliser which came three minutes later through Marcel Zimba.

Angola almost grabbed their second before half time but Domingos António’s shot couldn't bother goal keeper Eric Makungu as it went wide. In the second half, Angola introduced Samuel Francisco for Tadeu Abel Gabriel while Chilufya subbed in Mumba Mwale for Frank Chileshe.

Zambia was forced to make another change in the 58th minute when defender Mathews Banda was replaced by Emmanuel Kateka after picking an injury.

The Junior Chipolopolo came close to going ahead for the first time in the game but Joseph Sabobo Banda sent his shot wide of Domingos Da Siva Silva's goal in the 68th minute.

Eric Makungu Musonda produced a brilliant save to deny Simão Ambrósio Pedro from putting Angola ahead in the 72nd minute.

Angola finally grabbed the winner a minute before injury time through Luís Caica Eusébio who benefitted from Zambia's failure to clear the ball in a danger zone to give Angola a 2-1 win.

Despite not finding the back of the net in the final, 16-yea- old striker Joseph Sabobo Banda emerged as the player of the tournament and grabbed the joint top scorer’s award with Malawi's Masambiro Karua for the five goals scored at the tournament.

Angolan goal keeper Domingos Da Siva Silva grabbed the goal keeper of the tournament award while, eSwa

tini won the Fairplay Award.