Zambia's problem will be the players' limited know-how

[Ayo Akinfe]

[1] Zambia have done well in the last two games
[2] One must credit them for beating Algeria home and away
[3] They now have a young team made up of their U21 squad
[4] These boys are young, hungry and energetic
[5] However, their youth and exuberance is what will cost them dear in my opinion
[6] Remember they got a man sent off in Ndola
[7] Remember they conceded a penalty in Algiers?
[8] I see them behaving like Ethiopia who gave away penalties to Nigeria in both legs during the last World Cup qualifiers
[9] Or to put it into context, remember how we gifted Argentina two goals in the 1994 World Cup with reckless challenges on the edge of the penalty area and then letting them take us by surprise with their free kicks?
[10] For all their industry, Zambia will be beaten badly because they will not have the know-how to deal with the knowledge of the Eagles. passion, commitment and enthusiasm can only get you so far.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

90mins will still be played and nobody knows what will happen. What we do know is that whatever is written on CE is very very unreliable. We await piooom!

[Orion]

I predict the game will be an anti-climax. No drama or unexpected twists. SE will win predictably.

3-0

[Gotti]

Ayo, abegi no come jinx us o...
Still remember your 2006 WCQ Angola ‘guarantee’!

[Mr Shows]

Zambia will hit the field all pumped up.. the key is to take the wind out of their sails and have them chasing an early goal and just keep punishing them on the counter.

[Eaglezbeak]

Zambia will give it their all but we must patient as they not be able to play at their best for 90 minutes!

[Ayo Akinfe]

Zambia will hit the field all pumped up.. the key is to take the wind out of their sails and have them chasing an early goal and just keep punishing them on the counter.

Cameroon also hit the field all pumped up. However, they had no answers to the Eagles' swift counter-attacks. I foresee a similar situation on Saturday.

[Tbite]

Zambia will hit the field all pumped up.. the key is to take the wind out of their sails and have them chasing an early goal and just keep punishing them on the counter.

Cameroon also hit the field all pumped up. However, they had no answers to the Eagles' swift counter-attacks. I foresee a similar situation on Saturday.

The only difference is that Zambia is one of the few teams in Africa that can play for 90 minutes! So they won't tire out! We need to be disciplined from start to finish.

And we must score at least 1 goal before the 70 minute mark.

[Waffiman]

Zambia will hit the field all pumped up.. the key is to take the wind out of their sails and have them chasing an early goal and just keep punishing them on the counter.

Cameroon also hit the field all pumped up. However, they had no answers to the Eagles' swift counter-attacks. I foresee a similar situation on Saturday.

The only difference is that Zambia is one of the few teams in Africa that can play for 90 minutes! So they won't tire out! We need to be disciplined from start to finish.

And we must score at least 1 goal before the 70 minute mark.

My crude stats compiled from watching and re-watching these games tell me Zambia have conceded on average 7 chances per 90 minutes so far in this qualifying series. Although they leave it open and offer spaces for their opponents to exploit, they are good at defending in their box. They do not mind conceding space in the final 3rd but are quick to close it down in the box. Consequently, they do not concede many 'big chances' (i.e chances in front on goal in the penalty box) Their do or die spirit, has seen them make the most blocks in the penalty, with 2 clearances. So despite conceding on average 7 chances per game, they have only conceded 4 goals from their 4 matches.

By the same token, they have created just under 8 chances on average per 90 minutes and have been very wasteful. They have missed big chances and wasted a lot of good opportunities to create even more chances. This for me, is more down to a lack of savvy or know how as well as a lack of quality. They average 1.50 goals per game, scoring 6 goals from their 4 games. They play a very high running high tempo game, so it is inevitable they will make more mistakes in attack but the danger is if they click, they can be a hand full. Zambia are a progressing team.

The SuperEagles on the other hand dominate the stats in these qualifiers. We are either 1st or 2nd in almost every attacking stats. We dominate especially on percentage of competed passes and take-ons. We also dominate on chances and big chances created. Just look at the goal stats, in what is supposed to be the Group of death, we have scored 10 goals, easily the best in the qualifying series, but what makes the SuperEagles goals tally most impressive is when you look at see they have conceded only 3 goals. Some will say D.R. Congo has 9 goals, but they have conceded 5 goals and put 4 past Libya. No disrespect to D.R. Congo, but SuperEagels tally is far more impressive any any level of analysis. We average 2.5 goals per game and create just under 11 chances per 90 minutes. Of these chances we create 6 big chances per game.

SuperEagles are also a very well organised defensive unit, At just under an average of 5 chances conceded per game per 90 minutes in the qualification series so far, they have conceded 3 goals at an average of just under one goal per game.


Cameroon and Algeria are already out in this group of Africa's heavyweights we hold a three-point lead over Zambia. Everything so far points to us sealing qualification at Uyo come next game on the 7th. But it will not be easy, indeed it will be difficult. Despite the stats, it must be noted that Zambia made changes since we beat them and have improved as a team. They have confidence to go with their improvement and I am glad we will note this and know they are not to be taken lightly. Nigeria has also improved as a team and has tons of confidence despite the setback of losing a good goalie. His replacement remains my only worry as he is yet to be tested.

But, we have a formidable attacking unit, a unit that has delivered goals for every game. So long as we have our shooting boots on, I see us maintaining our goal scoring average of 2 goals plus per game. If we don't we will get at least one goal and it might be enough. From the stats, the Zambians concede an average of a goal per game, there is nothing special in the Zambian team defense and they have to come out looking for the goals that will keep their hopes of qualification alive. This is to our advantage because we also have the defence to use as a foundation for the victory we need for qualification.

We can confirm our place in the finals with a victory and I am respectfully optimistic of victory, but we also know that two points from our final two matches will guarantee a place in Russia. Zambia will need to win in Uyo to realistically keep their hopes alive, but will still be second on goal difference unless they win by three goals, so they will probably need to better Nigeria's result on the final day too. I hope it does not come to this but, all these factors play into our hands in Uyo. We just need to seat back, keep in tight and pick Zambia off on the counter attack.

Whether we do it on the 7th or not, my champagne is already chilling for Russia.

[Kabalega]

Zambia's World Cup© campaign has been a tale of two teams.
So any stats that do not factor that in, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Which brings us to Ayo's false assertion that Zambia has players of limited know-how.
Ayo, is clearly clueless about CAF club events.

To understand Zambia's renaissance, it helps to look at Zanaco and ZESCO United teams.
Zanaco and ZESCO have had decent CAF campaigns this season, in no small part due to their Chipolopolo units of players.
They may be young(er) but to suggest that their weakness is their youthful exuberance is a serious miscalculation.

[ohsee]

My crude stats compiled from watching and re-watching these games tell me Zambia have conceded on average 7 chances per 90 minutes so far in this qualifying series. Although they leave it open and offer spaces for their opponents to exploit, they are good at defending in their box. They do not mind conceding space in the final 3rd but are quick to close it down in the box. Consequently, they do not concede many 'big chances' (i.e chances in front on goal in the penalty box) Their do or die spirit, has seen them make the most blocks in the penalty, with 2 clearances. So despite conceding on average 7 chances per game, they have only conceded 4 goals from their 4 matches.

By the same token, they have created just under 8 chances on average per 90 minutes and have been very wasteful. They have missed big chances and wasted a lot of good opportunities to create even more chances. This for me, is more down to a lack of savvy or know how as well as a lack of quality. They average 1.50 goals per game, scoring 6 goals from their 4 games. They play a very high running high tempo game, so it is inevitable they will make more mistakes in attack but the danger is if they click, they can be a hand full. Zambia are a progressing team.

The SuperEagles on the other hand dominate the stats in these qualifiers. We are either 1st or 2nd in almost every attacking stats. We dominate especially on percentage of competed passes and take-ons. We also dominate on chances and big chances created. Just look at the goal stats, in what is supposed to be the Group of death, we have scored 10 goals, easily the best in the qualifying series, but what makes the SuperEagles goals tally most impressive is when you look at see they have conceded only 3 goals. Some will say D.R. Congo has 9 goals, but they have conceded 5 goals and put 4 past Libya. No disrespect to D.R. Congo, but SuperEagels tally is far more impressive any any level of analysis. We average 2.5 goals per game and create just under 11 chances per 90 minutes. Of these chances we create 6 big chances per game.

SuperEagles are also a very well organised defensive unit, At just under an average of 5 chances conceded per game per 90 minutes in the qualification series so far, they have conceded 3 goals at an average of just under one goal per game.


Cameroon and Algeria are already out in this group of Africa's heavyweights we hold a three-point lead over Zambia. Everything so far points to us sealing qualification at Uyo come next game on the 7th. But it will not be easy, indeed it will be difficult. Despite the stats, it must be noted that Zambia made changes since we beat them and have improved as a team. They have confidence to go with their improvement and I am glad we will note this and know they are not to be taken lightly. Nigeria has also improved as a team and has tons of confidence despite the setback of losing a good goalie. His replacement remains my only worry as he is yet to be tested.

But, we have a formidable attacking unit, a unit that has delivered goals for every game. So long as we have our shooting boots on, I see us maintaining our goal scoring average of 2 goals plus per game. If we don't we will get at least one goal and it might be enough. From the stats, the Zambians concede an average of a goal per game, there is nothing special in the Zambian team defense and they have to come out looking for the goals that will keep their hopes of qualification alive. This is to our advantage because we also have the defence to use as a foundation for the victory we need for qualification.

We can confirm our place in the finals with a victory and I am respectfully optimistic of victory, but we also know that two points from our final two matches will guarantee a place in Russia. Zambia will need to win in Uyo to realistically keep their hopes alive, but will still be second on goal difference unless they win by three goals, so they will probably need to better Nigeria's result on the final day too. I hope it does not come to this but, all these factors play into our hands in Uyo. We just need to seat back, keep in tight and pick Zambia off on the counter attack.

Whether we do it on the 7th or not, my champagne is already chilling for Russia.

Up you Waffi. Excellent write up.

[Tbite]

Zambia's World Cup© campaign has been a tale of two teams.
So any stats that do not factor that in, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Which brings us to Ayo's false assertion that Zambia has players of limited know-how.
Ayo, is clearly clueless about CAF club events.

To understand Zambia's renaissance, it helps to look at Zanaco and ZESCO United teams.
Zanaco and ZESCO have had decent CAF campaigns this season, in no small part due to their Chipolopolo units of players.
They may be young(er) but to suggest that their weakness is their youthful exuberance is a serious miscalculation.

You also forget that Nigeria is much stronger now than the team that beat Zambia AWAY.

In Zambia we also fielded five players that will likely not start this time around.

They have not yet faced the menace of Victor Moses and Leon Balogun.

These are the players who played against Nigeria in the first match and also started against Algeria in the last match. Mweene, Sunzu, Kapumbu and Lungu

They will have around 7 new players, we will have 5. Both teams are different, but unlike them we are injecting nightmares not simply enthusiasm. Victor Moses and Balogun are made of the kind of stuff that terrifies kids at night, and makes grown men soil their corduroys.

[Waffiman]

My crude stats compiled from watching and re-watching these games tell me Zambia have conceded on average 7 chances per 90 minutes so far in this qualifying series. Although they leave it open and offer spaces for their opponents to exploit, they are good at defending in their box. They do not mind conceding space in the final 3rd but are quick to close it down in the box. Consequently, they do not concede many 'big chances' (i.e chances in front on goal in the penalty box) Their do or die spirit, has seen them make the most blocks in the penalty, with 2 clearances. So despite conceding on average 7 chances per game, they have only conceded 4 goals from their 4 matches.

By the same token, they have created just under 8 chances on average per 90 minutes and have been very wasteful. They have missed big chances and wasted a lot of good opportunities to create even more chances. This for me, is more down to a lack of savvy or know how as well as a lack of quality. They average 1.50 goals per game, scoring 6 goals from their 4 games. They play a very high running high tempo game, so it is inevitable they will make more mistakes in attack but the danger is if they click, they can be a hand full. Zambia are a progressing team.

The SuperEagles on the other hand dominate the stats in these qualifiers. We are either 1st or 2nd in almost every attacking stats. We dominate especially on percentage of competed passes and take-ons. We also dominate on chances and big chances created. Just look at the goal stats, in what is supposed to be the Group of death, we have scored 10 goals, easily the best in the qualifying series, but what makes the SuperEagles goals tally most impressive is when you look at see they have conceded only 3 goals. Some will say D.R. Congo has 9 goals, but they have conceded 5 goals and put 4 past Libya. No disrespect to D.R. Congo, but SuperEagels tally is far more impressive any any level of analysis. We average 2.5 goals per game and create just under 11 chances per 90 minutes. Of these chances we create 6 big chances per game.

SuperEagles are also a very well organised defensive unit, At just under an average of 5 chances conceded per game per 90 minutes in the qualification series so far, they have conceded 3 goals at an average of just under one goal per game.


Cameroon and Algeria are already out in this group of Africa's heavyweights we hold a three-point lead over Zambia. Everything so far points to us sealing qualification at Uyo come next game on the 7th. But it will not be easy, indeed it will be difficult. Despite the stats, it must be noted that Zambia made changes since we beat them and have improved as a team. They have confidence to go with their improvement and I am glad we will note this and know they are not to be taken lightly. Nigeria has also improved as a team and has tons of confidence despite the setback of losing a good goalie. His replacement remains my only worry as he is yet to be tested.

But, we have a formidable attacking unit, a unit that has delivered goals for every game. So long as we have our shooting boots on, I see us maintaining our goal scoring average of 2 goals plus per game. If we don't we will get at least one goal and it might be enough. From the stats, the Zambians concede an average of a goal per game, there is nothing special in the Zambian team defense and they have to come out looking for the goals that will keep their hopes of qualification alive. This is to our advantage because we also have the defence to use as a foundation for the victory we need for qualification.

We can confirm our place in the finals with a victory and I am respectfully optimistic of victory, but we also know that two points from our final two matches will guarantee a place in Russia. Zambia will need to win in Uyo to realistically keep their hopes alive, but will still be second on goal difference unless they win by three goals, so they will probably need to better Nigeria's result on the final day too. I hope it does not come to this but, all these factors play into our hands in Uyo. We just need to seat back, keep in tight and pick Zambia off on the counter attack.

Whether we do it on the 7th or not, my champagne is already chilling for Russia.

Up you Waffi. Excellent write up.

Bros! Thanks.

[Kabalega]

Zambia's World Cup© campaign has been a tale of two teams.
So any stats that do not factor that in, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Which brings us to Ayo's false assertion that Zambia has players of limited know-how.
Ayo, is clearly clueless about CAF club events.

To understand Zambia's renaissance, it helps to look at Zanaco and ZESCO United teams.
Zanaco and ZESCO have had decent CAF campaigns this season, in no small part due to their Chipolopolo units of players.
They may be young(er) but to suggest that their weakness is their youthful exuberance is a serious miscalculation.

You also forget that Nigeria is much stronger now than the team that beat Zambia AWAY.

In Zambia we also fielded five players that will likely not start this time around.

They have not yet faced the menace of Victor Moses and Leon Balogun.

These are the players who played against Nigeria in the first match and also started against Algeria in the last match. Mweene, Sunzu, Kapumbu and Lungu

They will have around 7 new players, we will have 5. Both teams are different, but unlike them we are injecting nightmares not simply enthusiasm. Victor Moses and Balogun are made of the kind of stuff that terrifies kids at night, and makes grown men soil their corduroys.

Are we talking about a team sport?

[osita]

Zambia's World Cup© campaign has been a tale of two teams.
So any stats that do not factor that in, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Which brings us to Ayo's false assertion that Zambia has players of limited know-how.
Ayo, is clearly clueless about CAF club events.

To understand Zambia's renaissance, it helps to look at Zanaco and ZESCO United teams.
Zanaco and ZESCO have had decent CAF campaigns this season, in no small part due to their Chipolopolo units of players.
They may be young(er) but to suggest that their weakness is their youthful exuberance is a serious miscalculation.

You also forget that Nigeria is much stronger now than the team that beat Zambia AWAY.

In Zambia we also fielded five players that will likely not start this time around.

They have not yet faced the menace of Victor Moses and Leon Balogun.

These are the players who played against Nigeria in the first match and also started against Algeria in the last match. Mweene, Sunzu, Kapumbu and Lungu

They will have around 7 new players, we will have 5. Both teams are different, but unlike them we are injecting nightmares not simply enthusiasm. Victor Moses and Balogun are made of the kind of stuff that terrifies kids at night, and makes grown men soil their corduroys.

Are we talking about a team sport?

After this match, they will look for another reason for the defeat. the zambia attackers are full of running but there defense is not strong. we will wait for them and hit them of counter attacks.

Yes Zambia players are young and naive, and i believe we will get a penalty in this game.

[Bigpokey24]

Wonderful write up by Waffiman

[Tbite]

Great job Warri no day carry last, well.except for picnic.

[Ayo Akinfe]

Ayo, abegi no come jinx us o...
Still remember your 2006 WCQ Angola ‘guarantee’!

We actually played badly today. A more polished and mature side would have finished us off. See the chances they were ballooning over the bar.