The match was interrupted by several VAR reviews, which eventually earned Zambia a penalty in the 22nd minute and was converted by Abel Nyirongo after Amajimbos had taken a lead in the first minute through Simphiwe Mlondo before Robert Banda netted the winner late in the game.
Amajimbos goalkeeper and Zambia player Vincent Mutondo both saw red after the review system interfered which saw the first half played until 65 minutes and left Khumalo irritated.
“A good idea to have it but I think with time maybe it needs to be controlled the way it takes time it breaks the momentum and for eight minutes, we need to pause again. Maybe it needs to be looked at because I calculated in the first half we played for 65 minutes,” Khumalo said.
“Only for the first half and it breaks the momentum that the boys have. But I'm not blaming it, we must have used it at the right time. I think it must start with the tournament players getting used to it. We need to improve on it honestly.”
Khumalo also defined the defeat as painful as he was optimistic they would win the semifinal and qualify for Afcon.
“It's very painful; I remember when we played in Zambia the last time, I was coaching the U-17; we won the game and we were supposed to go to Afcon and then Covid-19 happened,” he said.
“So, now we are at a stage where I was hopeful, I thought we would go there and this is how we lost it. It's very painful, but it's football we need to move on.”
The Kaizer Chiefs youth coach also rued his side's missed chances and felt had they converted some of the chances, they should be talking a different story.
“I don't remember Zambia coming to us and posing any threat. I think it was once or twice where they created a goal and a penalty. Other than that we kept to what we have been doing throughout and kept possession playing according to our philosophy.”
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It's painful to lose to Zambia, not to qualify for Afcon – Khumalo after Cosafa Cup defeat
Coach says VAR killed their momentum, but they'll get used to it
Image: BackpagePix
After losing 2-1 to Zambia in the Cosafa Cup U-17 semifinal on Wednesday at AW Muller Stadium to end their dream of qualifying for the youth Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast next year, Amajimbos coach Vela Khumalo feels they should have handled VAR better.
The match was interrupted by several VAR reviews, which eventually earned Zambia a penalty in the 22nd minute and was converted by Abel Nyirongo after Amajimbos had taken a lead in the first minute through Simphiwe Mlondo before Robert Banda netted the winner late in the game.
Amajimbos goalkeeper and Zambia player Vincent Mutondo both saw red after the review system interfered which saw the first half played until 65 minutes and left Khumalo irritated.
“A good idea to have it but I think with time maybe it needs to be controlled the way it takes time it breaks the momentum and for eight minutes, we need to pause again. Maybe it needs to be looked at because I calculated in the first half we played for 65 minutes,” Khumalo said.
“Only for the first half and it breaks the momentum that the boys have. But I'm not blaming it, we must have used it at the right time. I think it must start with the tournament players getting used to it. We need to improve on it honestly.”
Khumalo also defined the defeat as painful as he was optimistic they would win the semifinal and qualify for Afcon.
“It's very painful; I remember when we played in Zambia the last time, I was coaching the U-17; we won the game and we were supposed to go to Afcon and then Covid-19 happened,” he said.
“So, now we are at a stage where I was hopeful, I thought we would go there and this is how we lost it. It's very painful, but it's football we need to move on.”
The Kaizer Chiefs youth coach also rued his side's missed chances and felt had they converted some of the chances, they should be talking a different story.
“I don't remember Zambia coming to us and posing any threat. I think it was once or twice where they created a goal and a penalty. Other than that we kept to what we have been doing throughout and kept possession playing according to our philosophy.”
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