2019 Review: The Ups and Downs of the Chipolopolo
2019 has been a year to remember, filled with upsets and good moments when it came to football in Zambia.
The national team calendar started with a formality fixture in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with Zambia bashing Namibia who had qualified to the finals 4 – 1 in Lusaka.
With caretaker coach Aggrey Chiyangi in-charge, the Chipolopolo conquered the Southern region and won the COSAFA Championship in South Africa in June. There were key moments at the tournament like was the case against Malawi. Zambia was down by two goals but Emmanuel Chabula’s 89th minute goal put the Chipolopolo on level terms and completed the comeback by winning on penalties 3-2.
Within the same month, the team secured qualification to the CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) in what was a remarkable month for the local assemblage of players.
Intertwined with the competitive matches were friendly matches. The national team was actively involved in six matches through the year. It was two wins, to draws and two losses. Perhaps the highlight of them all was beating Hervé Renard tutored Moroccan national team 3-2, it was an adrenaline-pumping match despite it being a friendly match.
The most frustrating moment of the year was losing 5-nil to African Champions Algeria in an AFCON qualifiers match played in Algeria and losing 2-1 at home to Zimbabwe leaving the Chipolopolo rock bottom in group H which also has Botswana.
STATISTICS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR
PLAYED 16 matches
WON 8 matches
DRAWN 4 matches
LOST 4 matches
SCORED 24 goals
CONCEDED 25 goals
MATCHES PLAYED THIS YEAR
23rd March 2019 AFCON QUALIFIER
Zambia 4-1 Nambia
2nd June 2019 COSAFA CHAMPIONSHIP
Zambia 2-2 Malawi (won on penalties 3-2)
5th June 2019 COSAFA CHAMPIONSHIP
Zambia 0-0 Zimbabwe (won on penalties 4-2)
8th June 2019 COSAFA CHAMPIONSHIP
Zambia 1-0 Botswana
9th June 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Cameroon 2-1 Zambia
16 June 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Morocco 2-3 Zambia
19th June 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Ivory Coast 4-1 Zambia
27th June 2019 CHAN QUALIFIER
Botswana 0-0 Zambia
3rd July 2019 CHAN QUALIFIER
Zambia 3-2 Botswana
22nd June 2019 CHAN QUALIFIER
Eswatin 0-1 Zambia
10th September 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Niger 1-1 Zambia
13 September 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Benin 2-2 Zambia
19th September 2019 CHAN QUALIFIER
Zambia 2-2 Eswatini
9th November 2019 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
Namibia 0-2 Zambia
14th November 2019 AFCON QUALIFIER
Algeria 5-0 Zambia
19 November 2019 AFCON QUALIFIER
Zambia 1-2 Zimbabwe
TOP SCORERS IN 2019
1. Emmanuel Chabula 6
2. Augustine Mulenga 2
3. Justin Shonga 2
4. Mwape Musonda 2
5. Lazarus Kambole 1
6. Donashano Malama 1
7. Austin Muwowo 1
8. Tapson Kaseba 1
9. Klings Kangwa 1
10. Enock Mwepu 1
11. Fashion Sakala 1
12. Kelvin Kampamba 1
13. Bruce Musakanya 1
14. Amity Shamenda 1
15. Cletus Chama 1
16. Patson Daka 1