Skipper Lubambo Musonda has conceded that football has changed and there are no more clear favourites going into matches following Zambia’s 1-all draw against Tanzania on Wednesday.
Tipped as favourites ahead of the match, Zambia found themselves chasing the game and needed a late Patson Daka equalizer to earn a point and keep alive the hopes of making it to the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON).
Tanzania took the lead in the 11th minute after benefiting from a breakdown in midfield, allowing skipper Mbwana Samatta to feed Simon Msuva, who made no mistake.
Things turned from bad to worse in the 44th minute for Zambia when skipper of the day Roderick Kabwe was sent off for a second bookable offence.
As has become custom on many occasions, Daka rescued Zambia in the 88th minute when he jumped high to connect a ball teed by Clatous Chama for the teams to share the spoils.
‘No easy teams at AFCON’- Lubambo
Lubambo said in an interview after that game that the match showed that there were no more easy games in football.
“Football is not that easy; every game is a tough game, especially in the tournament,” he said. “Every team is prepared; every team has to give their best and that shows from the results that everyone is putting their best.”
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He said Zambia initially put up a bad display before coming alive in the second half.
“It wasn’t a good start to the game… it is a good thing we came back strongly in the second half and we showed character to fight until the end.
“The mentality of the team, especially in the second half, was good; we fought to the end and we tried to upset the game and that’s what we did,” concluded Lubambo.
