Zimbabwe out, Zambia through to quarter-finals

Group D action was underway at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu district this evening in the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN). The first game of the day was Zimbabwe against Mali and the South Africans came to the game knowing that a loss would lead to their elimination

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Group D action was underway at Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu district this evening in the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN).

The first game of the day was Zimbabwe against Mali and the South Africans came to the game knowing that a loss would lead to their elimination.

Zimbabwe dominated the game and in fact hit the woodwork but all the hard work they put in was put to waste in the 82nd minute when Moussa Sissoko scored from a Lassana Samake free-kick.

In the other game, Zambia became the third team to qualify for quarter-finals of the CHAN 2016 on Saturday after edging Uganda Cranes 1-0 in a hard fought victory of Group D also played at  Umuganda stadium.

Sensational skipper Christopher Katongo scored the only goal of the game in the 40th minute from Clatous Chama’s free-kick to inspire the Chipolopolo of Zambia to a well-deserved victory.

Joseph Ochaya, Robert Sentongo and Erisa Ssekisambu kept pressing Zambia’s defense for an equaliser to avoid suffering yet another early exit from CHAN tournament after the same thing happened in 2011 in Sudan and 2014 in South Africa.

The 2009 semi-finalists, Zambia, become the third country to qualify for the round of last eight after hosts Rwanda (Group A) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Group B)