Lithuania v Zambia
Lithuania (10) v Zambia (5)
Someone send out a search party. Zambia have gone missing. After the footballing lesson they gave Brazil earlier in the day, those in the know around Pitch One expected them to have little trouble in disposing of Lithuania. Someone, of course, forgot to tell the Lithuanians in this Cape Town Cup semi-final. There may be a lot of grey hair in the squad, but the grey matter underneath it knows where to stand and how to finish against younger, more fleet-of-foot opponents.
In the early evening sun at Town Hall Square, they were swiftly 2-0 up, partially thanks to a harsh penalty decision by South African referee "Shoes" who claimed the Zambian keeper had strayed outside his area when most felt he had not infringed.
It made little difference to the pattern of play, however, as the Lithuanians stretched their opponents and left them to rely on speculative long-range efforts. The score was 5-1 until a run from deep and a penalty both produced scores for the Africans and suggested there was better to come from them after the break.
But like their earlier form, it was a mirage. Astute changes by the men in yellow whisked them to a 10 - 4 lead. Late consolation bared caused a ripple. The Lithuanians will have their work cut out tomorrow against the methodical and clinical Serbs.
Frank Prenesti