Zambia’s national team coach for the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), Wedson Nyirenda, believes the Chipolopolo Boys can win the competition.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will run from February 1 to 28, 2025. It is only open to African footballers competing in their respective domestic leagues.
Chipolopolo qualified for the tournament automatically after their opponent, Mozambique, withdrew due to ongoing political unrest. Zambia will be making its fifth appearance at the tournament, which is only open to domestic league players.
Speaking during training today in Lusaka, Nyirenda said the team has shown commitment.
“We can just assure you that the boys are doing very well. The discipline is so high and the commitment, as you have seen when you are watching, everyone is so committed to this course,” Nyirenda said when the FAZ secretary general Rueben Kamanga visited the team at the Kafue Celtic Training facility (Croc Camp) in Chamba Valley.
Nyirenda optimistic
Nyirenda added that his technical bench feels they can bring the trophy home.
“They say there’s always the first time in everything, and we are determined to do just that. We feel we can bring it home if we put the heads together, the executive, and I know we are going to. You are going to help us secure one or two friendlies outside and I think that will work miracles for us,” he told Kamanga.
Senegal are the reigning champions of this competition; they defeated 2022 hosts Algeria in the final in Algiers three years ago to win the title for the first time.
They have also qualified for the tournament, alongside Morocco, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Others are Nigeria, the Central African Republic, the DR Congo, Sudan, Angola, Madagascar, and the three hosts.
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