Wedson Nyirenda has given his analysis of Mozambique ahead of the final back-to-back 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.
Zambia will be away to Mozambique on the 21st of December before hosting the Mambas in the reverse fixture on the 28th of December. The winner over two legs will qualify for the CHAN tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1-28, 2025.
Nyirenda who is in charge of the local assemblage of Chipolopolo players, noted that Mozambique has shifted from playing slowly and defensively to adopting a fast-paced, attacking style under Chiquinho Conde therefore, his side will have to exhibit positive energy and not underrate the Mambas, who booted them out of the last CHAN qualifiers.
“Mozambique football has changed. When we arrived there in 2013, I think they were playing a slower game, a more defensive game. But when we took our attacking game there, we found that people started also following their trends. And this time, we have seen how Mozambique has, I think, changed,” Nyirenda said.
“The way they are playing under Chiquinho Conde, I think they are playing good football. So, we don’t have to go there with our closed eyes. We just have to go there with a well-prepared team, a well-prepared technical team, and we need to have a good atmosphere. .… And we don’t need some negative energy in the team. We need to have everyone moving in the same direction and on the same page.”
Nyirenda stressed the vital role of the CHAN squad as a pathway for players to advance to the senior team, urging all players to work diligently in preparation to face Mozambique.
“Mozambican football has changed. They’ve improved tremendously. So, we cannot afford to go there with one eye closed. They showed us that they are not a pushover last time. They took us out of the tournament. [CHAN],” he said.
“What is needed is to build up a better team. First and foremost, we have to look at the pool of players that we have. The Chan team must be a team that will bring the numbers of the players to the senior team for the senior coach to be choosing from.”
