Zambian captain Katongo: It hurts when people don't know my name

By Peter Auf der Heyde Feb 11, 2012, 9:16 GMT

Libreville, Gabon - The captain of the Zambian side which will meet Ivory Coast in Sunday's Africa Cup of Nations final has said that he hopes reaching the championship match has given some recognition to the team.

'You know, it really hurts when in an interview you are asked to give your name because they don't know you,' he said. 'Can you imagine somebody asking Didier Drogba or Yaya Toure for a name?'

'We really have to qualify for the World Cup, then people will recognize the talent that we have in Zambia.'

The striker, who is plays his club football in China, is looking forward to taking on another favourite after his team knocked out Ghana in the semi-finals.

'I told our coach that we need to take on the big teams. Nobody knows our players, but everybody knows theirs. If you want to be on the top, you have to face those at the top,' he said.

'The game against Ghana showed us that when the match starts it is 11 against 11. There is no Asamoh Gyan, or Andre Ayew, there are just 11 players against 11 players.'

People should be surprised that Zambia had reached the final, he said.

'Every team that qualified for the finals had a chance. Now there are two teams left and they both have a chance. There is nothing surprising about that.'

Katongo first touched the trophy, which Zambia has never won, during a trophy trip to Zambia.

'Since then, I wake up every day thinking what it would be like to lift the trophy as captain. Hopefully I can find out on Sunday.'

Zambia draw strength from the memories of the 1993 side that was considered as one of the favourites for the 1994 title, but was practically wiped out in a plane crash off the coast of Libreville that killed 18 players en route to a World Cup qualifier in Senegal.

'At the time, the whole country and practically the whole world was with us,' he said. 'These players wanted to achieve something and now it is our chance to fulfil their dreams.'

Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, who saved an early Ghana penalty, said it 'makes no difference that their forward line consists of Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba and Gervinho.'

Of his penalty save, Mweene said: 'I just thought that what ever happens will happen and if it is God's wish, then I will save it.

'After saving it, I knew that we were going to win the game. But I don't think it was the penalty save that won the game. I simply did my bit and then the strikers did their bit and each player played his part.'

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