We will qualify for quarters - Renard
We will qualify for quarters - Renard 20.01.10
From ROBINSON KUNDA in Lubango, Angola
COACH Herve Renard is confident that Zambia will beat Gabon on Thursday and qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.And the national team yesterday shifted base to Benguela ahead of the clash against Gabon.
Renard said in an interview yesterday that Zambia were still in contention for a quarter-final berth.
Zambia lost 2-3 to Cameroon on Sunday.
He said his charges will play an attacking game against Gabon who are leading Group D with four points. Cameroon have three points, Tunisia two and Zambia have a point.
“We thought we could hold on and we were getting there until that mistake by the goalkeeper (Kennedy Mweene) that gave the opposition the belief that they could come back into the game.
“I do not think our tactic was negative. We played according to the plan of the game, and there are no regrets whatsoever.
“All is not lost, we have the last match against Gabon and we know that if we beat them, we can still qualify,” Renard said.
At the start of the second half, Renard replaced influential midfielder Rainford Kalaba for Francis Kasonde in a quest to defend the 1-0 lead but the tactic failed as Cameroon scored three goals.
After realising that Kalaba’s substitution was a blunder, attacking midfielder Isaac Chansa was thrown in for Felix Katongo.
Renard said he will make changes to the team that will face Gabon.
“It is a must-win game so I will use players who will make Zambia qualify for the quarter-finals. I want to take Zambia to the quarter-finals because it has been long since Zambia played in the quarter-finals,” Renard said.
Zambia last went beyond the preliminary stage in 1996 when they won a bronze medal in South Africa.
The Chipolopolo reached the finals twice, 1974 and 1994, and were third finishers in 1982, 1990 and 1996.
Renard urged Zambians to continue having trust in the Chipolopolo.
He said with the right attitude, Zambia will beat Gabon.
Meanwhile, striker Jacob Mulenga became the second Zambian player to win the man-of-the-match award on Sunday after his impressive performance against Cameroon.
Mulenga scored the first goal and created the penalty which skipper Christopher Katongo converted.
Cameroon midfielder Alexandre Song was given the Samsung Fair Play award.
Last Wednesday, Zambia’s Rainford Kalaba won the man-of-the-match award in the 1-1 draw against Tunisia while Felix Katongo got the fair play award.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
