Zambia needed a response after their 3-1 defeat in Algeria. They got one. On Tuesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, the Chipolopolo beat Togo 2-0 on matchday two of Group I. But the night will be remembered for something else too.
Albert Kangwanda struck in the 2nd minute, set up by Fashion Sakala according to beIN Sports. Then, around the 20th minute, the floodlights failed. Referee Mahmood Ismail had no choice: he halted the game for around 18 minutes, Lusaka Times reports. An embarrassing scene, live on television, at a stadium that has had power problems before. After the restart, Togo saw more of the ball but could not break down Zambia’s defence. It took until stoppage time for substitute Eliya Mandanji to seal it.
Lwandamina gets things moving again
The win came at a cost. Miguel Chaiwa and David Simukonda both went off injured, the latter on a stretcher. But interim coach George Lwandamina can breathe again: his side move up to second on three points, one behind Algeria, who were held in Burundi. Patrice Neveu’s Togo, winners against Burundi on matchday one, also have three points.
Zambia host Burundi next, on November 11. Before then, the federation and the stadium’s managers have questions to answer. Put simply, three points on the pitch, a red card for the organisation.