African Football Greats

Former Croatia Assistant Coach & Napoli Player To Become Chipolopolo coach?

Former Croatian player and assistant coach Aljosa Asanovic has been tipped by various soccer fans in Zambia to take over the Chipolopolo top job, African football Greats understands.

Asanovic, 56, is a former Croatian professional footballer who played as a midfielder from 1984 to 2002. He was one of the best players in the Yugoslav First league emerging as one of five top scorers during the 1989 – 1990 season with 14 goals.

Asanović till date is best remembered for his great performance in the mid-to-late 1990s when he played for Derby County and Croatia during the Euro 96 as well as the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He scored the first goal in Croatia’s modern history.

UNSPECIFIED – JUNE 11: FUSSBALL: Nationalmannschaft KROATIEN/CRO 11.06.96, Aljosa ASANOVIC – Einzelaktion – (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Bongarts/Getty Images)

During his playing days , Asanovic spent one season with FC Metz, during which he made total of 35 appearances and scored 13 goals. In the summer of 1991, he moved to another French club, AS Cannes, where he also spent only one season. In the beginning of the 1992/93 season he was signed by his third club in France, Montpellier HSC were he made a total of 43 matches and scored 10 goals in the process. He stayed with the club for two seasons, until the summer of 1994.

Asanović played for several clubs in Croatia, France, Spain and England before he moved to Italy to play for S.S.C Napoli in 1997.

In his coaching career, Asonovic became the assistant coach to Slaven Bilic for the Croatian national team in 2006 to 2012.

After his departure from the Croatian national team, Asanović took up another assistant role, this time in Russia, following Slaven Bilic to FC lokomotiv Asanović and departed the club at the end of the season.

Maribor, 030712. Slovenija, Pohorje, hotel Habakuk. Slaven Bilic novi trener FK Lokomotiv Moskva odrzao popodnevni trening sa svojim igracima i novim pojacanjem Vedranom Corlukom na Mariborskom Pohorju. Na slici: Nikola Jurcevic, Aljosa Asanovic, Slaven Bilic trener FK Lokomotiv Moskva. Foto: Damir Krajac / CROPIX

In 2015, Asanović became the new technical director of DAC Dunajska streda and in October 2017, he took up a job in Australia, becoming the head coach of National Premier league club Melbourne Knights FC.

In October 2018, Asanović took up an assistant coach role with a Saudi Arabian premier league side Al-Ittihad Jeddah up untill 2019.

Asanović was the Director and Diaspora instructor for the Croatian Football Federation from 2019 to June 2021 before being appointed Technical Director for the Zambia National Football Team, a role he currently holds.

After the Chipolopolo crashed out of the 2022 Qatar World cup qualifiers, multiple fans have continued calling on the Zambian football association especially on social media for the appointment of the Croatian as head coach to take over from Beston Chambeshi who was in charge of the Zambian national team as interim coach.

Should Asonovic be given the chipolopolo top job ? leave us a comment.

Africa to have ten countries at 2026 world cup ?

Africa could have as many as 10 teams competing at the 2026 World Cup after the allocation for places at the expanded 48-nation competition was ratified by the FIFA Council during their meeting in Bahrain.

Africa is guaranteed nine places, up from the current five, while a 10th nation will enter a six-team play-off tournament to decide the final two qualifiers, raising the potential of an extra place for the continent.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had been lobbying for at least 10 spots, with the continent providing 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, a little more than a quarter.

It appears as though a compromise has been reached, though it remains an uneven split compared to the more favoured confederations such as Europe and South America. The latter has only 10 member associations, but is guaranteed that six of those will be at the tournament, with the potential for a seventh through the play-off tournament. It means that 70 percent of the South American nations could compete.

Europe has seen their number of guaranteed slots raised from 13 to 16, while the North and Central American confederation has also seen their number of teams doubled from a guaranteed three to six, while Asia goes up from four to eight. Oceania will now have one guaranteed place, having previously had to go through a play-off with a team from South America.

That makes New Zealand the big winners as they should qualify for every World Cup in the expanded format with little competition coming from their region after Australia jumped ship to the Asian confederation.

The most teams that Africa has previously had at the World Cup was six in 2010 when South Africa (hosts), Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana and Ivory Coast competed.

Egypt were the first African side to play at the World Cup when they were present at the 1934 tournament in Italy. It wasn’t until 1970 that Morocco made a second appearance from the continent, before Africa’s slots were doubled to two in 1982. That became three in 1994 and the current five in 1998.

Credit: ESPN

FORGET: That was a clear penalty, we won fairly-Ayew

Ghana national team captain Andre Ayew has reacted to claims that the black stars dubiously qualified to the final round of the Qatar World cup Qualifiers following a crucial penalty awarded to them by Senegalese referee Maguette Ndiaye.

The Ghanian skipper who made his 100th appearance for Ghana last night says, Ghana won fair and square.

“We won fair and square. I think we had more clear chances. It was a tough game, South Africa came and they did their job but we won this game fair and square
-Andre Ayew

Ayew adds that, Ghana would have scored more goals and that the penalty was a clear penalty , the referee did not make any mistake to award it to them.

“We could have scored more. I think the penalty was a clear penalty, and I think it was the other way around, the referee should have given two penalties [during the match].”

WATCH: Penalty which was awarded to Ghana.

South Africa only needed a point to qualify to the final round of the qualifers while Ghana needed nothing less than a win.

Meanwhile , the south African football federation says it will file a complaint to FIFA and CAF to investigate the officiating of the match which ended their world cup contest last night in Kumasi.

Ghana beat South Africa 1-0 to proceed to the final round with goal difference advantage ahead of bafana banana who they are level with on 13 points in Group G.

Sakala breaks 12-years hatrick drought for Zambia

Rangers football club striker Fashion Sakala yesterday became the ninth Zambian player to score a hatrick for the senior men’s national team.

It took 12-years for the country to record a hatrick in the senior chipolopolo team when Sakala carried home the match ball in a Qatar world cup qualifiers match that saw Zambia thrash Mauritania 4-0 at the national heroes stadium to revive their slim chance of qualifying to the playoffs.

The last Zambian to score a hatrick for the senior national team was former TP Mazembe striker Given Singuluma at the 2009 CAF African cup of nations championship.

BELOW IS A LIST OF ZAMBIAN PLAYERS THAT SCORED A HATRICK FOR THE SENIOR TEAM:

1972-Fred Mwila
1985-Bernard Chanda
1985-Micheal Chabala
1993-Kelvin Mutale
1996-Kalushya Bwalya
2004-Collins Mbesuma
2007-Christopher Katongo
2009-Given Singuluma
2021-Fashion Sakala

Sakala has now scored five(5) international goals and made three(3) assists in fifteen (15) appearances for the Zambian senior national team since his debut in 2017.

Patson Daka celebrates his eighth senior international goal.

Meanwhile his team mate and Leicester city striker Patson Daka who has been Zambia’s most consistent goal scorer also scored his eighth (8) senior national team international goal and made his third(3) assists in sixteen(16) appearances for the chipolopolo.

Daka is now Zambia’s active national team player with the most goals and now racing towards breaking the country’s all time score Godfrey Ucar Chitalu. Who scored 79 international goals and ranks as Africa’s international goal scorer of all times.

RECORD: Algeria goes 32 matches unbeaten

The Algeria national team has now gone 32 matches UNBEATEN following their victory today against Djibouti in the 2022 Qatar FIFA world cup qualifiers.

The desert foxes are now Africa’s record holder of the longest unbeaten in football history and only second to Italy in the world.

Italy hold the record for the longest unbeaten run in international football history, which ended at 37 games without defeat.

In September 2021, the Azzurri drew 0-0 with Switzerland in Basel in World Cup 2022 qualification to go a world record 36 games unbeaten and stand a chance of extending their record again today when they play Switzerland in their return match.

Meanwhile, Algeria have thumped Djbouti 0-4 to put one leg into the African World cup qualifiers playoffs.

The desert fox will only need a point at home when they host Burkina Faso for their final match in the group stage of the qualifiers whom they drew with in the first match.

Bafana Bafana-the hope of Southern Africa

The Bafana Bafana of South Africa is the only southern African nation in the 2022 Qatar FIFA world cup qualifiers that is still UNBEATEN.

Against all odds , south African is one leg into the playoffs of the qualifiers following their impressive run under new coach Hugo Broos who has changed the look and performance of the team after struggling in the Afcon qualifiers .

Broos who was appointed as head coach for the Bafana Bafana shortly after the nation’s failure to qualify to next year’s Africa cup of nations , has since started rebuilding the team by putting trust in young players majority of whom from the u23 team that represented the country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Yesterday South Africa thumped their neighbors and fellow southerners Zimbabwe by a goal to nil to extend their lead in group G with 3 points ahead of second placed Ghana who drew with Ethiopia to earn a point and sit at 10 points.

South Africa drew 0-0 with Zimbabwe in their group opener, thumped Ethiopia home and away and defeated Ghana at home to maintain a 100% UNBEATEN run in Group G.

They will now look to seal their qualification to the next round of the qualifiers this Sunday when they clash second placed Ghana in Kumasi in a match that is predicted by many as a mouth-watering encounter.

South Africa need only a point to proceed to the last 10 playoffs while Ghana will need maximum three points to stand a chance of remaining in the race to Qatar.

GERRALD BIDS FAREWELL TO SAKALA

Former England and Liverpool central midfielder Steven Gerrald has left Scottish champions Rangers fc to join premier league side, Aston villa on a 3- years contract.

Gerrald who joined Rangers as coach in 2018 and has won the premiership once has taken over from Dean Smith who was sacked last week following a poor streak of results recorded in five successive premier league matches.

While at Rangers, Gerrard signed Zambian rapid forward Fashion Sakala from Belgian club Kv Oostende during the last transfer window and described him as a “massive talent” who was going to help him achieve his project at the club.

Sakala went on to score five(5)goals in twelve (12) matches for Rangers and instantly won the English manager’s heart earning him a first eleven position in the team.

Sakala scored his first goal under Steven Gerrald against Spanish giants Real Madrid during a pre-season match which received massive accolades from accross the globe.

It arguably was the turning point for the 24-year Zambian who since that time has shown hunger to score goals every time he’s been on the pitch for Rangers.

While still under Gerrald Sakala also went on to score his first career club hatrick in the Scottish premiership and broke the record of the first Rangers FC player to reach the landmark since 2016.

It is a love story cut short for Gerrard and Sakala. Will this chemistry continue ?

“We’re both from the village but we’re here”- Sakala and Zambian president toast

sakala hands over a signed Rangers jersey to president Hichilema

Rangers fc weekend hattrick hero Fashion Sakala jr met newly elected Republican President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema who is on a working visit in Glasgow , Scotland and shared a light moment together.

The President congratulated Sakala who banged a hattrick in Rangers’ 1-6 away thumping of Motherwell in the Scottish premiership and encouraged the 24-year old rapid striker to invest his finances.

The Zambian president emphasized on the need to invest their money and encouraged Sakala to continue working hard and inspire other talented young Zambians.

“The country and all of us a proud of you and wish you the very best. I lived around here and we always admired Glasgow rangers, they have always been a very good team, you joined the right team.
“Keep on working hard; hard work pays and manage your finances well, invest because days are not the same, some day you score goals but 10-15 years you may not do the same so you can always change things- investing is a good idea, look after your money and your money will look after you, thats how it works.”
-President Hakainde Hichilema

“The boy from the village has met the president, its an honor for me and I am proud of you Mr President.
“Looking at your life, you are a hero. When I saw about your history , its almost like mine. You are a big example to many Zambians that nothing is impossible.
“You lost many times but never gave , you believed in God and thats what is important. You are an inspiration to many of us who come from the village but now we are here.”
-Fashion sakala

Sakala later presented a signed Rangers fc jersey, scurf and many other gifts to the President for sparing time out of his busy schedule to appreciate his talent.

“We’re both from the village but we’re here”- Sakala and Zambian president toast

The President congratulated Sakala who banged a hattrick in Rangers’ 1-6 away thumping of Motherwell in the Scottish premiership and encouraged the 24-year old rapid striker to invest his finances.

The Zambian president emphasized on the need to invest their money and encouraged Sakala to continue working hard and inspire other talented young Zambians.

“The country and all of us a proud of you and wish you the very best. I lived around here and we always admired Glasgow rangers, they have always been a very good team, you joined the right team.
“Keep on working hard; hard work pays and manage your finances well, invest because days are not the same, some day you score goals but 10-15 years you may not do the same so you can always change things- investing is a good idea, look after your money and your money will look after you, thats how it works.”
-President Hakainde Hichilema

“The boy from the village has met the president, its an honor for me and I am proud of you Mr President.
“Looking at your life, you are a hero. When I saw about your history , its almost like mine. You are a big example to many Zambians that nothing is impossible.
“You lost many times but never gave , you believed in God and thats what is important. You are an inspiration to many of us who come from the village but now we are here.
-Fashion sakala

Sakala later presented a signed Rangers fc jersey, scurf and many other gifts to the President for sparing time out of his busy schedule to appreciate his talent.

Zambian Celebrity singer goes ‘Gaga’ over Daka,Banda goal celebrations.

Zambian singer Wezi mhone alas @Weziheartsound has taken to social media to recreate the trending goal celebrations of in-form chipolopolo players Patson Daka of Leicester city and Midfielder Emmanuel Banda of swedish club Djurgardens IF.

The singer who has now earned herself recognition as Zambian footballers’ top fan has recreated the goal celebrations as a way of showing support to the Zambian players who are exploding in Europe scoring goals week-in-week-out.

Patson Daka who scored a record four goals in his last UEFA Europa league match and Zambia’s first goal in the English premier league , explained his goal celebration which has now gone viral among european fans as “the full armor of God” that shields him from evil scemes.

And recently, Daka’s chipolopolo teammate whom they won the 2017 U20 Africa cup of nations together also displayed his new goal celebration which is similar to the red-hot Leicester city striker.

The Djurgardens IF Midfielder took time to explain his goal celebration on Facebook after scoring a winning goal for his club over the weekend.

The Zambian singer once again took to her social media account to hype the young Midfielder who has regained form and taking the Swedish league by storm.

It’s safe to say, the singer is arguably the biggest fan of Zambian super stars in Europe as evidenced by her unediting support for the boys on her social media accounts.