Patrick Phiri first ever Africa Cup final outing will see his Zambia team facing current African champions Egypt and two former winners in their Group C matches to be played in Kumasi at next years tournament in Ghana.
Zambia brace themselves for their fourth Africa Cup rendezvous against nemesis and 5-time champions Egypt including 4-time winners Cameroon and 1970 victors Sudan.
Zambia’s meeting against Egypt will be their 7th at an Africa Cup final.
The Pharaohs dominate the two teams last six meetings with four victories while Zambia has won two games.
Egypt currently enjoying an edge with wins their last three successive wins over Zambia at the finals.
Meanwhile, Zambia will play Cameroon for only the third time at an Africa Cup final despite 10 previous international meetings.
Cameroon and Zambia won a match each against each other at previous Africa Cup final meetings at the 1986 and 1990 tournaments respectively.
Zambia will play Sudan for the first time at the Africa in their opening game on January 22.
Phiri’s team will face Cameroon on January 26 and wrap-up their Group C outing against defending champions Egypt.
I’m calling upon all hardcore Chipolopolo fans to begin sounding the war drums. Let’s call all our ‘big dogs’. Lets release all our deadly ‘pitbull terriers’ in Europe and set them free on the nations cup. Mbesuma, Katongo, Jacob Mulenga, Isaac, Edwin phiri are no longer kids. Release them and let them cause havoc.Egypt and Cameroon have no idea we have built a team from 2004. They have never met us. Eto’o will be shocked when he meets Billy Mwanza.
If we had money I would have considered Lothar Mattheuas for the Zambia job after the Africa Cup. Patrick could then be his assistant. Lothar has indicated he wants to coach a ‘big’ African side. I think he is the man to take Zambia to the world cup. I wonder if we can afford him though.
Go Zambia we are behind you if you fall we will also support you. You win you will make us proud.
We are behind the team and it will surprise a lot of people
Anonymous #1, Eto’o has been reportedly taken up Spanish citizenship. So Zambia stands a better chance.
Zambia needs to assemble the strongest team available.Let them also be given an opportunity to have as many friendlies as possible.
Go zambia Go. zambia is a great footballing nation and we have a greater chance of winning the cup if we focus,concentrate,psychologicaly prepared,determined,consistent and show character like we did in 1988.We should go to the tonourment with a positive mental attitude and strong belief of winning.come on boys show the world what you are made of.
Yes we need Isaac Chansa remember he was red carded so he has to miss one game. Thank God we are playing COSAFA.
Easy # 8, I am not sure if the COSAFA game will count since it is not a recognised FIFA/Caf fixture. If it does, this will be good news for us. Serious preparations must begin in earnest. All players must be given equal opportuinity, with only the best that we have going. For a change, the technical bench must really be one that know how to read the game and come up with a good game plan. Many times we have lost the game because of poor game planning and failure to study/read our opponents!
There is nothing special about the darfunians, we beat then last year to win the CECAFA which was later given to then on a silver platter. cameroon is now aged, they have grand parents as players. Mat be Egypt can give zambia a good run. Its time for our pros to sharpen their boots.
#8 chandkaunda, If so then we have to make a friendly match because the first game in the tournament is the deciding game. I hope the technical bench will be plan well this time. Egypt is not all that strong they struggled to qualify. They failed to beat Burundi in Kigali, Rwanda. We have to watch out of Cameroon becuase they have plays who can decide the game alone. There is Ipali of Bochum in Germany, Samuel Eto of Barcelona in Spain. And other play in french liga or premiere.
War is war and the only good soldier is dead one. Go Zambia Go!!!
We shall progress from the group as number 1, Sudan as number 2, Egypt and Cameroon will be sent packing
I like your confidence.
For starts, let us get hold of the Botswana – Egypt games tapes. Botswana held Eygpt to a nil-nil draw in Gaborone and narrowlly lost in Cairo with a one-nil score line. We can learn alot form Botswana’s game plan against Egypt. This is were the technical bench should start working now, even before the team assembles for training. Preparations for important games should centre on tactics much as skills and physical training. This is perhaps were Kalusha can be used to spy on the opponets
cont’d from #15: and report to Phiri. I am not saying Kalusha should start interferring with Phiri’s work but that he and other coaches should be used to ‘spy’ on our opponents preparation games(international friendlies), just as the Egyptian and Cameronians are likely to send spies to the South Africa/Zambia game on Wednesday. My point is that training should not only be on the pitch, watching opponents recently recorded games can go a long way in preparing the players’ intuition.
Hard working and technicalities are vital in modern sports. 16# you are right you have to get to see how these oppenents are preparing themselves. Please dont over look Sudan they have a sound league that is why they have improved so quickely. I dont know any Sudanese professional. I can someone highlight this. Over Egypt they have are harding working and they play collective football. We have to put hands together and make things work.
the only team we can beat in the first round is sudan. we’ll come home very quickly..another sad ending in the african cup attempt.
we should look at the matter of getting a coach that can work with Phiri them before it is too late.We might just be sent packing in the early stages.Football is changing and i don´t doulbt the fact that Sudan can kick us. Proper preparations from now on or we get kicked out in the first round.