Zambia face holders ZIM in Cosafa final

Hosts Zambia’s Chipolopolo face holders Zimbabwe’s Warriors in a potentially explosive Cosafa Cup final this afternoon at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Just like the main sponsor Castle Lager’s slogan, it should be a perfect moment with the hosts taking on the defending champions.

The Flames were kicked out of the regional showpiece by Zimbabwe through post-match penalties and, sadly, they failed to make it even in the losers’ plate phase in which they were booted out by a youthful Angola side.

Chipolopolo and the Warriors made it to the final after winning against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana [through penalties] and Lesotho’s Likuena respectively on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe will have to shake off injuries that have hit their camp and be ready to face the tough challenge of the hosts in their quest for a fifth Cosafa title.

It is a match Zambia cannot afford to lose as a win will put them at par with Zimbabwe on four times.

The final between the two comes four years after their last meeting in the final of the same competition, with Chipolopolo seeking to avenge the 3-1 defeat they suffered at Rufaro Stadium in Harare in 2009.

“We are the underdogs going into the final. Maybe it will be to our small advantage that Zambia played 120 minutes in their semi-final, but that is a small advantage under these circumstances.

“Today, we have trained to recover and make sure that the boys are confident. We are trying to psyche them up and each player must learn to play for more than 70 minutes because we have been losing concentration as they get tired,” said Zimbabwe’s coach Klaus Dieter-Pagels.

He also said he did not expect the Warriors to feel intimidated by the expected full house at the stadium.

“Some of these players have played matches against Dynamos and Highlanders and should know what it means to play before a big crowd and this is their chance to show that they can play on the big stage,” he told The Herald.

Chipolopolo coach, Herve Renard, said they were now ready to win the Cosafa Cup after seeing off the Bafana Bafana challenge in the semi-finals.

Mozambique’s Mambas won the plate phase following a narrow 1-0 win over Angola’s Palancas Neglas.