BANYANA Banyana Under-23 team coach Joseph Mkhoza says his team played on empty stomachs.
Mkhoza said in a post-match interview that outside factors affected his team but refused to elaborate on why his players played without eating lunch at Chrismar Hotel where they were lodged.
"The only problems we had today (Saturday) was they (his players) didn’t eat lunch," Mkhoza said.
And FAZ executive committee member Miles Sampa confirmed the development and said there was a communication breakdown between the South African and kitchen staff at Chrismar Hotel.
"From what I have gathered they missed their lunch because of a communication problem between the South African team manager and the hotel," Sampa said.
"The South African team had indicated that they wanted their lunch at 11:30 Hours but the Kitchen staff only prepared the lunch at 12:30 Hours. So the South Africans couldn’t wait and instead decided to go to the stadium at 13:30 hours."
Sampa said the whole incident was unfortunate.
"Suffice to say that South Africa during the pre-match meeting with the match commissioner said they were very happy with the hotel," he said.
South Africa beat Zambia 2-1 in a London 2012 Olympic Games football tournament first round, first leg qualifier on Saturday at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Banyana scored through Nompumelelo Nyandeni and 2009 CAF African Player of the Year Noko Matlou in the 66th and 8th minutes respectively. Kabange Mupopo scored Zambia's lone goal in the 88th minute.
The two sides will meet in the return leg in Durban in a fortnight’s time.
Source -Post Zambia.com
