The Zambian national team will face Russia tomorrow in an international friendly match in Moscow. This comes after the cancellation of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification fixture for this month, following Congo Brazzaville’s ban by FIFA and Eritrea’s withdrawal.
They will now take on Russia, which has been under a FIFA and UEFA ban since 2022 due to the country’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Barred from participating in official FIFA and UEFA competitions, Russia has invited the Copper Bullets for a non-FIFA-sanctioned match.
Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has travelled to Moscow with a 19-player squad, which notably does not include key players such as Patson Daka, Lubambo Musonda, Stopilla Sunzu, Lameck Banda, and Frankie Musonda, who are absent for various reasons.
The Copper Bullets have lost their last five matches against non-African opponents, scoring only six goals and conceding 15. Their last victory came in 2011, when they thrashed India 5-0 in Goa, with 17-year-old Bruce Musakanya scoring a hat-trick under coach Hervé Renard.
Speaking ahead of the match, Russia’s head coach, Valery Karpin, described Zambia as the strongest opponent they will face in recent matches.
“I think it is the strongest opponent of our recent matches. Something close to Cameroon, let’s say,” said Karpin, whose team has lost not a match since March 2024, in an interview.
We expect a physical match—Karpin
The Russians will head into this match on the back of a commanding 5-0 victory over Grenada last Wednesday, and Karpin expects a physically demanding contest against Avram Grant’s side.
“I think that the fans have some idea about Zambia. It is an African team, and all teams from Africa, as everyone knows, are physically well-prepared,” he added.
Meanwhile, Russia’s defender Maxim Osipenko believes Zambia will pose a significant challenge.
“A good opponent, we looked at two theories. Good players. I don’t know anyone’s names, but they have fast wingers and strong forwards. So it won’t be easy for us,” he said.
This will be only the second encounter between Zambia and Russia. The first meeting took place on July 31, 1980, during the Moscow Olympics, where Zambia lost 3-1 to the Soviet Union. Godfrey Chitalu scored Zambia’s sole goal in that match.
READ MORE: How Chipolopolo Performed in Last Six Matches Against Non-African Opponents
