The Zambia national team lost their opening match of the Four Nations Tournament in Malawi to Zimbabwe on post-match penalties after regulation time ended 2-2.
Chipolopolo will now play Malawi, which stumbled 4-0 to Kenya in the other match on Saturday, while Zimbabwe will face the Harambe stars in the final on Tuesday.
Stopilla Sunzu scored the Chipolopolo Boys’ first goal one minute into the game with a header from a free kick. It was his first Chipolopolo goal since 2018, and his sixth international goal in 90 games since making his debut in 2008.
Clatous Chama doubled Zambia’s lead 18 minutes later with a wonderfully curled shot from outside the penalty area, but Zimbabwe equalized five minutes later through a Bonny Miles tap-in from close range.
Zimbabwe appeared to have improved significantly after pulling one back, and shortly before halftime, Walter Musona equalized in the 41st minute after catching the Zambian defense napping to force a 2-2 draw.
The two teams entered the second half hoping for a winner, but all efforts failed, forcing the match to be settled on penalties, which Zimbabwe won 6-5.
Zambia scored through Patson Daka, Gift Mphande, Chama, Golden Mashata, and Benedict Chepeshi, although Nsunzu, Emmanuel Banda, and custodian Toaster Nsabata all missed penalties.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe scored through Takwara John Gerald, Tinotenda Kadewere, Marshall Munetsi, Andrew Rinomhota, Fungayi Bernard, and Daniel Msendami. Musona and Devine Lunga missed their penalties.
Grant and Mapeza’s reactions
Reacting after the match, Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant said he saw a lot of good things from the team’s performance despite the loss.
“I think it was a good game for both sides. We started very well. We were leading 2-nil, then we conceded easy goals and they came back into the game. But the game was good. I saw a lot of good things from my team, including a few new players that we now know how to use.”
His Zimbabwean counterpart, Norman Mapeza, stated that his side was the better side and deserved the win.
“This is a team that we recently assembled; they played well. We were the better side. We could have even won the match in normal time. Zambia looked tired,” Mapeza told reporters after the match in Lilongwe.
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