Chipolopolo may be in for an easier game tonight against Sierra Leone in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, as reports have surfaced about the hosts’ poor preparations, including players going without meals before matches.
Zambia are in Liberia, where they are aiming to beat Sierra Leone and finish the qualifiers as Group G leaders with 13 points. At the moment, Chipolopolo has 10 points, one better than second-placed Ivory Coast.
Sierra Leone are third with five points, while Chad are bottom with three points.
Two matches ago, Sierra Leone were well in the running for a place at the AFCON after they produced a shocker, beating Ivory Coast 1-0 to move three points behind Zambia, who were in second then.
However, their 1 – all draw against Chad last week and Zambia’s 1 – 0 win over Ivory Coast at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Friday eliminated Sierra Leone from the race to Morocco.
Reports have surfaced that Sierra Leone’s team went without a meal before their game against Chad due to financial constraints, as their hotel refused to serve food because of late payment.
SLFA reaction to the reports
The country’s team manager Umaru Bah, has been quoted by popular Sierra Leone website Football Sierra Leone that there was a delayed transfer of money to the hotel, thus players played the match on empty stomachs.
“Pre-match meal was scheduled for 3 pm on match day and the team was scheduled to depart the hotel for 4 pm and all this was communicated to the National Sports Authority the previous day. The NSA is in charge of finances,” Bah said.
It is reported that earlier in the qualifiers, captain Steven Caulker, who left camp due to family obligations, voiced his concerns about this type of disarray.
Another blow has been dealt to Sierra Leone, as 40-year-old veteran striker Kei Kamara left camp before today’s match after being called up by his Major League Soccer (MSL) team, Los Angeles FC.
On Sunday, Los Angeles will play the Seattle Sounders in the Cup-Conference semifinals.
The Chipolopolo camp, which is now focused on finishing the group as leaders, will be happy to hear these issues.
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