Chipolopolo physical trainer Jamie Lawrence has described Zambia’s performance against Ivory Coast on Friday as the best he has seen since he joined to set up. 

Lawrence joined Chipolopolo in March last year, briefly left before bouncing back in September. He is a a hugely parpular figure among players who seem to enjoy his ‘painful’ drills. 

Some local pundits did not rate Zambia highly against the West Africans. Others were confident that the 2012 AfCON winners would upset the Ivorians to qualify for the 2025 AfCON tournament.

On Friday, Lawrence watched his boys slay the Africa Cup of Nations defending Champions to top Group G with 10 points and qualify to the tournament.

The most interesting part of this performance was that Zambia has missed a number of key players due to injury. There was a general feeling that the team will not cope with Ivory Coast. 

However, a spirited performance in front of a partisan crowed saw Zambia defy the odds, with Kennedy Musonda lone goal.

“What a performance, since I have been involved in Zambia, this was the best performance against the Ivory Coast who got big players who play all over Europe top clubs,” Lawrence  said. 

“I am proud to be part of this,”– Lawrence.

He claimed he had never seen such a showing. 

“I have never seen a performance like this from the first whistle, I sensed in the warm up, all week I have had a good feeling. “I am proud to be part of this,” Lawrence said in a video to 32.4K followers on in Instagram.

The England born former Jamaica international said the players epitomised what sport and life is about. 

“This is why I talk about what I talk about, being ready, if you get grasp it and boy today [Friday] a lot of boys took their chance, and this is what sport is all about,” he said. 

Zambia have now shifted their focus to Tuesday’s game against Sierra Leone.