By Mike Mubanga
Humiliated. Embarrassed.
That's how the Zambia National soccer team and the entire technical bench should be feeling after getting bundled out of the Cosafa Cup quarter-finals by Namibia.
Namibia lived up to its brave name, beating the Chipolopolo Boys 5-4 on post-match penalties after a goalless 90 minutes to condemn Zambia to the latest shameful defeat.
Zambia, who were defending champions heading into the last eight clash, were strong favorites going by the squad Coach Honour Janza named for the tournament.
Janza included SEVEN foreign-based players in his squad for the showpiece, which aims to help develop the stars of tomorrow.
Janza, in an effort of making sure that no stone was left un-turned on his path to retain the cup, was counting on the foreign-based contingent to make the difference.
Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, University of Pretoria defender Davies Nkausu, Israel-based left-back Emmanuel Mbola, vice-captain Nathan Sinkala of TP Mazembe, members of the 2012 Africa Cup winning team, were included in the squad.
Janza went on to include Zimbabwe's FC Platinum defender Aaron Katebe, Amazulu's Bornwell Mwape and Bloemfontein Celtics midfielder Mukuka Mulenga.
Janza claimed that he was not under-pressure when asked why he included the gurus, but I wonder whether he will be able to give the same comment after this latest result.
The first eleven against Nambia comprised FIVE professional players and six locals, a clear testimony that Janza desperately needed the result.
However, with all the problems that have surrounded the 2012 champions, the match was not anything to write about save for a few sparks.
Out of the five players that took part in the penalty shootouts for Zambia, THREE (Mweene, Mbola and Katebe) were professionals and TWO (Kondwani Mtonga and Jimmy Ndlovu) were locals.
Mbola 12 o'clocked his kick, and everyone will remember him not only as a professional, but a defender who cost Zambia a place in the semi-finals.
But Mbola should not be blamed, had he not been included in the troubled Chipolopolo, we wouldn't have been ripping his name apart.
If anything, we never needed Mbola or any of the professionals; we should have just sent the reservoir of the Under-23, as Fighton Simukonda’s team was involved in the Olympic Games qualifier match against Botswana.
But we were so desperate to win the Cosafa at the expense of identifying talent.
This has to come to a stop, let us promote our local players, expose them to these tournaments for them to get a feel of the international stage.
For me, a lot of positives would have been acquired from fielding a 100 per cent local squad than what has happened now.
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