Thursday, December 05, 2013
Bornwell Mwape scored the fastest goal in the GOtv Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup to see the Chipolopolo of Zambia top Group B after edging out the Ocean Stars of Somalia 4-0 at Afraha Stadium in Nakuru on Wednesday.
The Kilimanjaro Stars of Tanzania were the first team to book a quarterfinal berth following their 1-0 victory over the Swallows of Burundi.
"I'm just looking at my team, we are here to prepare the local
players who play in the Zambian league, and we had to adapt with the
pitch and the weather conditions.
"Today we scored four goals and I'm so happy because it's a great
improvement from our previous matches since it was difficult to play
against Somalia who were defending too much.
"I know the quarter finals will be tough but we are up for the challenge," the Zambian head coach
Patrick Beaumelle who tops the Group with seven points alongside
Tanzania but with an inferior goal difference said after the match.
"We did a lot of mistakes and my players did not coordinate well and that's why we lost 4-0 to Zambia.
"Our first choice keeper was injured in our first much, and our
second choice custodian completely let us down and is the cause for our
loss," Somalia coach Mohamed Abdalla stated.
The former African champions started the match with a goal, after
Bornwell Mwape utilized Somalia keeper Mohamed Sherif's blunder after he
spilled Felix Katongo's shot to find Mwape who notched home the opener
for the visitors in the first minute.
With only two minutes of play, the Chipolopolo were at it again as
Justin Zulu gave Festus Mbewe a fine pass that he looped over Sheriff to
record his first goal in the tournament and second for Zambia.
The Ocean Stars had a chance to pull one back in the 21st through
Mohamed Abdi but he was too slow to allow the defender to clear the
ball.
Sheriff denied the guest team to extend the lead, with his wonderful
saves from left back Rodrick Kabwe's free-kick and captain Kabaso
Chongo's shot to settle the scores at 2-0 as the teams went for the
breather.
Patrick Beaumelle charge's continued where they left for the last half, with Mbewe and Katongo breaking through the Somalia defense several times.
Jabril Hassan failed to make use of the chances he created as he was too slow with his finishing kick.
Mbewe provided a cross from the right that found Mwape in the box, who connected easily to notch a brace in the 56th.
Danger man Felix Katongo was rested for Mathew Nkowan who came in to pile pressure in the Somalia territory.
The Chipolopolo captain brought in the corner that Sherif spilled
once again to see Mbewe record his brace in the 68th and the fourth goal
for the guest.
Sherif was forced to deny Mwape and Mbewe a hat trick after punching
away their strikes as the center referee Anthony Ongwayo from Kenya blew the final whistle for Zambia to send Somalia home.
In the early kick-off, TP Mazembe Mbwana Sammata's lone goal against Burundi, in the second half was enough to send the Kilimanjaro Stars to the last eight.
The striker headed home in the eighth minute from a Mrisho Ngasa free-kick.
The Swallows keeper Arthur Arakaza was however the man for Burundi to
thank as he came to the team's rescue on several occasions with
consecutive saves on goal to enable him named man of the match.
The last preliminary matches will be played on Thursday in Nairobi
and Machakos, with the Amavumbi Stars facing Eritrea at Kenyatta Stadium
in Machakos before defending champions Uganda Cranes battle it out with
Sudan in Group C at Nyayo National Stadium.