After losing three straight games and allowing five goals, the Chipolopolo Boys were eliminated from the 2024 COSAFA Cup, failing to defend the trophy they won last year.
The team led by Red Arrows Chisi Mbewe began the campaign with an embarrassing 2-0 loss to invitee Kenya. The Chipolopolo Boys lost 2-0 again, just when everyone was starting to believe they would turn things around against rival Zimbabwe in their second group game.
They headed into the final match against Comoros knowing that they were already out regardless of the result.
Their overall performance was below standard, but they did manage to hold Comoros to a 0-0 tie in the first half, despite a few spurts of forward intent.
In the second stanza, Comoros looked a more determined team as they continued launching attacks in Zambia’s half. Their hard work would soon pay off in the 61st minute when Ibroihim Youssouf scored the match winning goal.
The win saw Comoros advance to the knockout stage for the second time in their history and also the first time defeating the Chipolopolo Boys.
This is also the first time the Chipolopolo Boys exit the COSAFA Cup in the group stage since 2021.
Mbewe explains poor COSAFA campaign
After the game, Mbewe said his team’s performance was unimpressive and unworthy of a defending champion.
”It’s a very disappointing performance from our side. I think we have played three games. We have not scored any game, and we have lost all the three games, which is not good for the champions,” he told post match press conference. “I think we we performed below average. I think when you are a champion, you need to perform like a champion. But the way we, we came in and the way we performed, I think it’s very questionable and not good for the champions.”
Mbewe thinks his team might have been over confident heading into this year’s COSAFA cup.
“We picked the best players that performed in the [MTN/FAZ Super] league. We wanted to give chance to everyone,” said the reigning ABSA Cup and Super League winner with Red Arrows FC.
He added: “Maybe we came back here or maybe over confident that we are going to win and that it going to be easy again like it was at the last season. Otherwise, we found that teams, every team wants to beat the champion and and that’s what has happened.”
