Zambia face Comoros in their second Group A AFCON match on Friday at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca, in what shapes up as a crucial encounter for Comoros, who lost their opening fixture 2–0 to hosts Morocco.
The Chipolopolo Boys opened their campaign with a draw against Mali, salvaging a point thanks to Patson Daka’s late flying header in injury time.
Speaking ahead of the match, Zambia head coach Moses Sichone acknowledged the challenge that awaits his side, saying, “I know it’s not going to be easy, but we are looking forward to the game.”
Sichone revealed that he has studied Comoros closely and is well aware of their strengths.
“We saw how Comoros played against Morocco. They did well with their fast players and also in terms of defending. This is a team that has been together for some time, and we will also see the transition in terms of winning the ball with fast players.
“So we are expecting a very tough game and we are looking forward to it,” he said.
We are prepared for three points – Sakala
Chipolopolo captain Fashion Sakala echoed his coach’s sentiments, stressing that Zambia will be pushing for maximum points.
“I know it will be a very tough game, but we’re very excited for it and we’re going to fight,” he said.
“Obviously, our target is to get a win. To be honest we’re happy with the draw that we got [against Mali]. We really want to get a win in the second game of the tournament and hopefully, we can get a win. But I know that it will be a tough one.”
He added: “It will be a tough game but my team is very much prepared to fight for three points.”
Historically, Zambia has enjoyed the upper hand, winning three of the last four meetings against Comoros, excluding COSAFA Cup matches.
Their most recent encounter came in 2023 during the AFCON qualifiers, which ended in a 1–1 draw.
Elsewhere in Group A, Mali and Morocco will meet in Rabat, with the hosts hoping to seal qualification to the knockout stage with a victory.
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