By Kalumiana Kalumiana | The Post
Zambia and Ethiopia teams will face each other at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi today. The winner will move one step closer to the Orange CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup quarterfinals.
Victory for second-placed Chipolopolo over Group A leaders Ethiopia will see Herve Renard’s side through to the quarterfinals to be played on December 7 with a game to spare.
Both Chipolopolo and Ethiopia are level on three points from their opening Group A matches following their 2-0 and 5-0 wins over Kenya and Djibouti on Saturday and Monday respectively.
The meeting will be the two side’s first clash since the 2006 edition of the event when Chipolopolo beat Ethiopia 1-0 in the quarterfinals in Addis Ababa.
Assistant coach George Lwandamina has said his charges are ready but wary of Ethiopia who are aiming to qualify to the last eight this year following their first round elimination in the last edition held in Uganda in January.
“It will not be an easy game but we have to fight and sail to the next round,” Lwandamina said.
Striker James Chamanga who scored a brace against hosts Kenya on Saturday is yet again expected to lead Chipolopolo’s charge for a quarterfinal place.
Another inspiring display from Chamanga will help exorcise Chipolopolo’s dismal show in the 2008 tournament held in Uganda, when like Ethiopia, Zambia too were eliminated in the preliminaries.
However, Renard has decided to take a gamble with preference of defence over offence after leaving Zanaco winger Allan Mukuka at home.
In Mukuka’s place is his Zanaco teammate and former Under-23 defender Eugene Shamakamba.
The unavailability of injured midfielder Stopilla Sunzu will mean Kebby Hachipuka should play a more prominent role in the holding role after being a peripheral figure in the Chipolopolo team over the last year.
Renard meanwhile is set to keep faith in the backline of Thomas Nyirenda, Denis Banda, and Emmanuel Mbola with either Charles Siyingwa or Shamakamba to complete Renard’s defence this afternoon.
Sebastian Mwansa and Henry Banda should again be favourites to start in midfield while Jacob Banda keeps his place in goals. And Chipolopolo will face Djibouti in their final match on Friday at the same venue.