AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Rankings
  • Radio
  • TV

Mweene: Zambia can break the Algeria jinx

8/30/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
​Zambia will face Algeria in crucial back-to-back 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Group B qualifiers on Friday, 2 September 2017 at home in Lusaka and three days later away in Constantine.

Chipolopolo and ‘Les Fennecs’ are tied on one point heading into match-day-three, whilst Nigeria leads the pack in Group B on six points, with Cameroon on two points.


CAFOnline.com caught up with Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene to talk about the new-look Chipolopolo team that coach Wedson Nyirenda is preparing to roll-out in the double-header against old foes, Algeria. Below are excerpts;

Cafonline.com: Zambia heads into the match-day-three tied on one point with Algeria. What is your perspective of the game?
Kennedy Mweene:
Looking at the way we have been training with such a positive energy plus competition where everyone wants to make the starting eleven, I believe we can get a positive result.

This team has a blend of experience and seven players from the U-20 team that won the Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Zambia 2017 and reached the quarters of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea, how is the atmosphere in camp after few days of training?
It has been very good and the combination of players is what we need in our team in terms of adding youthful pace. We have the energy side from the U-20’s and the experience of the senior players. We will guide the juniors through properly otherwise it is a very good combination.

Zambia has never beaten Algeria in a FIFA World Cup qualifier and has only won two games from 12 meetings. Is there any pressure going into the game with such a modest record?
I have been in the national team for a long time, and I don't feel any pressure. My job will be to lead and support whoever the coach picks to play. Pressure will always be there especially when you are playing at home. So the onus lies on the senior players like me to calm the situation. We have new young players and playing for the junior and senior teams are two different things all together. We will calm them down and ensure they enjoy the game the same way they did at the U-20 level. If the can only enjoy the game, they will deliver.

Do you think Zambia can finally break the jinx against Algeria in World Cup qualifiers this weekend?
I think they have always given us problems beating them. If you look at the Mozambique game that we lost in June in the Total Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2019 qualifiers, it was a similar situation (having never won against Zambia), but they beat us. So anything is possible is football.

Nigeria face Cameroon in the other Group B match on Friday. Do you think a win for either side will put pressure on Zambia, which squares Algeria 24-hours later?
At the end of the day, we just have to focus on our game and not look at whoever wins on Friday. These two back-to-back games against Algeria are very important to our qualification hopes. If we get positive results at home and away against Algeria, I think the gap won’t be that much. Remember we still have games to play against Nigeria away and Cameroon at home after the Algeria double-header, so anything can happen.
However, we respect our critics, and their criticisms make us stronger. We want to prove them wrong that we are not just here to make up the numbers but to compete.

At 32, how eager are you to play at the FIFA World Cup after two unsuccessful attempts?
When I played my first and the second FIFA World Cup qualifiers, I was very young and inexperienced. I am now older and wiser. I have gained a lot of experience and I think differently. I play differently now too and there's a lot of maturity. I believe I have grown and I have the attributes to lead this team to qualification.

How much has the one-all draw against Cameroon last November fueled Zambia’s motivation for the Algeria clash?
That draw brought a lot of motivation because most people predicted victory for Cameroon.
But we surprised a lot of people. We could have won but for the penalty we conceded. We have learnt from that and go into the Algeria game with lots of experience. Also, players from domestic duo, Zanaco and Zesco, have gathered enough experience competing in the continental club championship.

Zambia coach Wedson Nyirenda will clock his first anniversary on the job after the Algeria double header. How important it is for the team to give him that special one year 'birthday present’?
I think first he got his first present when Zambia qualified for the final tournament of the Total African Nations Championship Kenya 2018. Also, an unbeaten run in the back-to-back games against Algeria will just be the cherry on his cake.

Fixtures
DAY THREE
Group A

31.08.2017   Conakry        Guinea vs Libya
01.09.2017   Tunis Tunisia vs DR Congo

Group B
01.09.2017   Uyo              Nigeria vs Cameroon
02.09.2017   Lusaka         Zambia vs Algeria

Group C
01.09.2017   Rabat Morocco vs Mali
02.09.2017   Libreville       Gabon vs Cote d’Ivoire

Group D
01.09.2017   Praia   Cape Verde vs South Africa
02.09.2017   Dakar Senegal vs Burkina Faso

Group E
31.08.2017   Kampala       Uganda vs Egypt
01.09.2017   Kumasi         Ghana vs Congo

DAY FOUR
Group A

04.09.2017   Monastir       Libya vs Guinea
05.09.2017   Kinshasa       DR Congo vs Tunisia

Group B
04.09.2017   Yaounde       Cameroon vs Nigeria
05.09.2017   Constantine Algeria vs Zambia

Group C
05.09.2017   Bamako        Mali vs Morocco
05.09.2017   Bouake         Cote d’Ivoire vs Gabon

Group D
05.09.2017   Durban         South Africa vs Cape Verde
05.09.2017 Ouagadougou Burkina Faso vs Senegal

Group E
05.09.2017   Alexandria Egypt vs Uganda
05.09.2017   Kintele          Congo vs Ghana
​
By cafonline.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    July 2024
    June 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network