Close
Zoom
Zambia8 : 7
Cote d'Ivoire 
Ghana0 : 2
Mali 
Mali0 : 1
Cote d'Ivoire
Zambia1 : 0
Ghana
Ghana2 : 1
Tunisia 
Gabon5 : 6
Mali
 
 |
 NEWSRenard – “It’s the most important game of my career” 02-03-2012
Zambia coach Herve Renard says a semi final berth will mark “the most important game of my career” and is looking forward to that. “I have experienced one semi final at the Africa Cup of Nations as an assistant with Ghana in 2008. Two years ago, I was at the quarter finals in Angola and we are at the same stage again,” Renard told Cafonline.com on Friday at his team’s hotel in Bata. Zambia painfully exited the last tournament two years ago in Angola after losing on penalties to Nigeria at the same stage, but the trainer insists the lessons have been well learnt. “We failed once. In life, you don’t have to repeat the same mistake and this is a good motivation for us. For 16-years, Zambia has not reached the semis of the Africa Cup of Nations. “At the moment, we are at the same level like 2010, and have 90 minutes to achieve our first target. Our objective here (Equatorial Guinea) is to do better than in 2010. Despite the tag of favourites hanging around their neck, the Frenchman insists the Desert Hawks will be no walkovers, after a shocking journey to the knockout stage. “We are very confident and determined to cross the hurdle. However, there are no easy games at the Africa Cup of Nations. The game against Sudan will be difficult. When you want to achieve big, you have to jump over every obstacle and move on.” On the Sudanese team, he said: “I have followed them from the qualifiers when they lost only once against Ghana in the final game. They are not here by chance. From their three games, they have exhibited high level of determination and I envisage a tough opposition from them. “They have good players like Mohammed Tahir and are very swift on the counter too. We will play with a lot of respect. The two teams have one target – to reach the semi final. In the end, one team will go home and the other stays.” Renard added that he has psyched his players for the challenge in their quest to prove to all that they are one of the best teams on the continent. “Since 2008, this generation has been learning. In 2010, we made a mark but lacked the missing ingredient to go far. We have improved this time and have to prove that we can reach the top four. “We are determined to lift the image of Zambian football and prove that we are one of the best in Africa. The winner of the Zambia versus Sudan will face the winner of the Ghana-Tunisia at the semi final. The last time the Chipolopolos reached the last four was in 1996 in South Africa where they lost 4-2 to Tunisia. Eventually, they settled for bronze after beating Ghana by a lone goal thanks to a Johnson Bwalya goal. |
|
Cafoot n°95 CAN 2012 Special edition© 2012 Cafonline.com - All rights reserved
COMPETITIONS
Men's Competitions :Orange CAF Champions League
Orange CAF Confederation Cup
Orange CAF Super Cup
Orange Africa Cup Of Nations
Orange African Nations Championship
Orange African Youth Championship
CAN U-17
CAF U-23 Championship
Futsal
All Africa Games
African Qualifiers : FIFA World Cup 2014
Olympic Qualifiers
Women's Competitions :
African Women Championship
CAN U-20 Women
CAN U-17 Women
All Africa Games Women
Olympic Qualifiers
Orange CAF Confederation Cup Players' list
Orange CAF Champions League Players' list
ABOUT CAF
OrganisationPresident
Executive Committee
Standing Committees
General Assembly
CAF Zones
Secretariat
CAF Anthem
Development
Contract With Africa
CAF Decisions and Press Releases
HOSTS COUNTRIES OF NEXT CAF COMPETITIONS
Orange CAN 2012Orange CAN 2013
CAN 2015
CAN 2017
Orange CHAN 2014
CHAN 2016
Orange CAN U-20 2013
CAN U-17 2013
CAF U-23 Championship 2011
REGULATIONS / PUBLICATIONS
CAF StatutesDisciplinary Code
Interclubs Media Guidelines
Financial report 2010
Activity Report 2010
Orange CAF Champions League
Orange CAF Confederation Cup
Orange CAF Super Cup
Orange Africa Cup Of Nations
Orange CAN 2012 qualification format
Orange CAN 2013 qualification format
Orange African Nations Championship
Orange African Youth Championship
CAN U-17
Futsal
FIFA World Cup 2014 qualification format
African Women Championship
CAN U-20 Women
CAN U-17 Women
OTHERS
NewsCalendar
Calendar of Events and Meeting
Development
Media Services
Media Channel
Social Responsibility
GLO-CAF Awards
Partner / sponsors
Poll
Photo album
CAF Interclubs Ranking
CONTACTS
CAFOrange CAN 2012 Organising Committees
FIFA
www.fifa.com