BATTLE OF LUSAKA, ZAMBIA…

The decisive second leg match between Green Buffaloes of zambia and Lobi Stars of Markurdi comes up in a fortnight at Lusaka, Zambia. When both sides met penultimate Sunday, Nigeria’s flag bearers rallied to a slim 2-1 victory. Who will pick the solitary ticket for the money spinning group state of the African Confederation Championship? Nigeriasports.com spoke exclusively to the Zambians led by the Chairman and the Chief Coach Messrs Oliver Monde and Coach George Lwandamina, and Lobi FC coach Dominic Iorfa along side Maurice Coleman. Enjoy the soccer menu from our roving correspondent JACK MOSES EKWE-EKWE.

 Nigeriasports.com : Congratulations – You lost 1-2, but not disgraced how do you react?

Zambians: You, said it all, we lost the battle with a slim goal difference but not the war because we should have even scored with our last gasp effort where Christopher Katongo should have gotten a brace with few seconds to go. So, the lone goal is a welcome consolatory effort.

Nigeriasports.com : So, why Green Buffaloes?

Zambia: We’re an all army squad. Sponsored by the Zambian Armed Forces.The colour of our army uniform is Green, while Buffaloes is our moniker. In Zambia we have various species of Buffaloes but the green coloured ones are the most vicious, veracious and fierce. In a nutshell, we personify the Green Buffaloes and that shows in our approach when we play.

Nigeriasports.com : When was it formed and by who?

 Zambia: The Club was officially formed in 1974 as an army recreational team. It was formed by the then Chief of Staff of the Zambian Armed Forces, General Chinkkati, who emerged as the first Chairman of the Club. The incumbent Chairman is Col. Oliver Moonde, who interestingly was an ex-player of the team. Our main sponsors are the Zambian Ministry of Defence. We play our matches at the Independence Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia. It has a capacity of 35,000 spectators.

Nigeriasports.com : Which are the other famous teams in Zambia?

Zambia: We have Power Dynamous and National Assembly to mention but a few. The former are currently Premier League leaders, but while the rest of the teams have played seven matches, we have played only three matches because of our continental engagements.

Nigeriasports.com : Give us a peep into your honours chart:

Zambia: We are currently the runners up in our league, we have won both domestic and international honours. But in the Champions League and Confederation of African Club Championships, we have reached the quarter-finals. And we’re looking beyond that phase this time around. Subsequently at the last count we have seven of our players in the National team.

Nigeriasports.com : Did the legendary Kulusha Bwalwa play for Green Buffaloes?

Zambia: No. Kalusha did not play for us. His entire playing career was with Mulfiruwa Wanderers before plying his trade abroad.

Nigeriasports.com : How do you sincerely rate Lobi Stars? Your opponents in the Confederation Cup Campaign.

Zambia: Lobi Stars are a good side. They are very physical which is very typical of Nigeria sides. So, what they cannot do in fitness and skills they compliment it with brawn or physical approach. However, they are very sluggish off and on the ball with volumes of fatigue written all over the players. They must have over trained or played series of matches without recuperating. You saw how they fluffed begging chances in front of goal – They are drained mentally and physically. Here we have an edge over them.

Nigeriasports.com : What shall we expect at the battle of Lusaka?

Zambia: Lots of doses of good football for the entire duration of the match. And the pendulum will definitely swing to our side because we are the better side. You may wish to know that we played more matches to reach this stage of the competition against the backdrop of Lobi stars who had a bye at the first round. We had to beat the all conquering El-Mekhresh of Sudan whom we decisioned 2-1 aggregate.

Nigeriasports.com : How will you rate the level of hospitality you enjoyed in Nigeria in general and Lobi Stars in particular?

Zambia: We doff our hearts for the hospitality of an average Nigerian, they are very accommodating, ready to assist and caring. Above all, we have a good stay in Nigeria, though our lodge is a starless hotel at Makurdi, but we aren’t complaining.

Nigeriasports.com : What should Lobi Stars expect at Lusaka, warfare and no hospitality?

Zambia: No way. In as much as we are a military outfit, our watchword always is discipline. And we shall extend it to Lobi immediately they touch down at Lusaka. We shall lodge them at Holiday Inn Lusaka, Zambia which is a three (3) Star hotel equivalent to CAF standard. If it was your Super Eagles (National Team) we shall lodge them in a five (5) star hotel, called Intercontinental Padmozi.

Nigeriasports.com : Thanks for giving us audience.

Zambia: Thanks for calling. But inform Lobi to forget about the second leg because we shall take them for a soccer dinner. We shall feed on them to be precise.

 

…WE SHALL DROWN BUFALLOES – LOBI COACH

Nigeriasports.com : Congratulations Coach Coleman. How will you summarize Lobi’s encounter with Buffaloes.

Lobi: We played under severe pressure right across board. Everybody right from the spectators through the ranks turned coaches dishing out contradicting instructions to the players. Ironically, we did not know anything about our opponents (Buffaloes) prior to the encounter, while I gathered from the grapevine that they had a tab on us before we confronted them. So, the possession of video clips cannot be over emphasized.

Nigeriasports.com : What didn’t your players do right in the explosive match"

Lobi: We missed many scoring chances because the pitch was not in good condition with lots of bumps. The logic is simply, it is easier to defend in a bad pitch whereas you can’t have a fluent attack on a bad pitch. At Lusaka where we gathered a turf is superb we shall definitely give a good account of ourselves. To be fair to our players, they played better at away from home.

Nigeriasports.com : Your players were gasping for breath in the second half , is it anything to do with lack of fitness or fatique?

Lobi: That question should have gone to the Club management with regards to training schedule, and time frame. As a Government team the level of interest groups are enormous to say the least. Why are the players reverting to long balls when we can build from the rear and middle.

Nigeriasports.com : Does the element of fatigue or the  75 kilometres drive  from Gboko to Makurdi have adverse effect on the players?

Lobi Coach: We won’t jump into any conclusion. The camp at Gboko was the best for the team. We got out from the prying eyes of our detractors. But I am not comfortable with the training regime prior to the match. But all said and done, you will agree with us that mother luck was not on our side. At the last count we hit the woodwork thrice after displacing the Buffaloes goalkeeper.

Nigeriasports.com : You seem to lost out in the midfield, what was amiss?

Lobi: We trained twice a day without taking consideration of the players’ recuperation. Some of these short falls have advert effect on the players in real game situation.

Nigeriasports.com : How do you rate the Green Buffaloes in terms of team work, individual skills and character?

Lobi: In my mind eye there’s nothing exceptional in the team. They have only three players who are good in the Buffaloes team. They are Christopher Katongo (Jersey 10), Jimmy Muruke (13) and Skipper Noel Nwabila

Nigeriasports.com : What areas are the strong and weak points of Green Buffaloes?

Lobi: There are diverse approaches for both home and away matches. The Green Buffaloes build their game from the rear, exhibiting collective and imaginative play at the middle with sporadic bursts up front. Like we earlier mentioned they have team work, but they are not fantastic

Nigeriasports.com : What should Nigerians expect after the close of fireworks at Lusaka?

Lobi: Nothing short of victory for Lobi Stars. We shall not only outshine Buffaloes, but we shall drown them inside River Lobi. We shall catch up with them when they open up the game at a smooth field.

Nigeriasports.com : The Green Buffaloes have no fewer than seven (7) players in the National team and experience to fall back to. How do you cope with that?

Lobi: National team outing is a different ball game with that of Club side. We have an advantage to have scored two goals and won. The Buffaloes will have to score three un-replied goals to stop us. And I tell you something, we won’t be sitting ducks for Buffaloes to stamped upon.

Nigeriasports.com : What prompted your suspension last season?

Lobi: Overzealousness nothing more. In Nigeria a Coach is only good when he wins a match but very bad if he loses in a subsequent game no matter the prevailing circumstance. So, our lost to Kano Pillars eroded our confidence from our fans and Club management.

Nigeriasports.com : It's that all?

Lobi: Yes, It is a hate campaign from our detractors who felt as expatriates we are taking the work of the local coaches. It is not a coincident that yours truly, Papic (Kwara United), and Urukalo (Enyimba) are hounded by the press, some coaches and the ball fans.

Nigeriasports.com : What is the way forward?

Lobi: Let everybody stick to their job designations while the coaches are allowed to do their job as they know best. It is only in coaching job that everybody is an expert.

Nigeriasports.com : We wish you all the best.

Lobi: Thanks for your concern. And always come around nigriasport.com

 

 

 

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