Zambia U20 coach Chisi Mbewe has described Friday’s 2022 COSAFA U20 Cup semifinal date against Angola as the final-before-the-final.
That match will pit the side with the meanest defence, Zambia, and the most prolific at the tournament, Angola, at the Eswatini is hosting from October 7-16.
Zambia has not conceded any goal and scored six goals, while Angola has scored 13 goals in three games, with the highlight coming on Wednesday when they beat Seychelles 8-1 in their final Group B fixture.
Angola advanced as the runners-up side in the group stages, while Zambia, South Africa and defending champions Mozambique all qualified for the semifinals as winners of their respective pools.
The prize on Friday is not only a place in the 2022 COSAFA Cup final but a ticket to the 2023 U20 AFCON in Egypt for both finalists.
WHAT MBEWE SAID
“This is a game where if you snooze, you lose. This is a game that holds the key to the U20 AFCON, so for us, we need to be creative up front, we need to utilise our chances, and we need to be clinical,” Mbewe said.
“Again, in defence, we need to keep a clean sheet, and so far, so good we have a 100 per cent record there.”
Angola head into the match with an edge over Zambia after winning two out of their last three meetings.
But both those wins for Angola have come in the battle for Bronze in 2018 and 2020.
Record COSAFA U20 Cup champions Zambia on the other hand, beat Angola at the same stage 3-0 on their way to winning an unprecedented 11th title.
Furthermore, Zambia has not been to the U20 AFCON since winning it as hosts in 2017.
Qualifying proper came in 2015 when Zambia made a group stage exit and in 2007 when they finished third and qualified for the Canada 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup, reaching the last 16.
“This is the right time. It has been a long time since the Under-20 participated in the U20 AFCON and also recently due to the COVID pandemic,” Mbewe said.
“So this is the best and right time to qualify for U20 AFCON.
“We have reminded the boys why we have come here. If we want to buy our ticket to Egypt, we need to focus; we know that each and every game we play is a final.
“Like this game, it is the final before the final.”
But the goals have dried up as Zambia progressed to the semifinals after beating Mauritius 3-0 on October 7, then defeating Eswatini 2-0, and finally downing Botswana 1-0.
“When you look at the teams we have competing against, they are well-organized and difficult teams,” Mbewe said.
“The first game, we scored 3 goals; the second, we scored 2 goals; and the last game, we scored 1 goal. So like I have always said, each team that Zambia plays is a final.”
