Weekend Scorecard: Gruelling 2015 AFCON qualifying run awaits Zambia

Zambia are set for a gruelling three-month-long Morocco 2015 Africa Cup qualifying race in the last quarter of 2014.

Zambia will enter the race in the group stages where they will play six matches compacted from September 5 all the way to November 19, 2014.

Patrice Beaumelle’s side enjoys byes from the three knock-out qualifying rounds thanks to their top 21 ranking heading into the qualifiers.

And September’s initial group stage round will have two match dates as will the subsequent two months.

Match-day-one will be held during the weekend of September 6 while match-day-two will follow a week later on September 10.

October’s qualifiers will see match-day-three played during the weekend of October 10 and match-day-four will follow during the week-ending October 15.

Match-day-five will take place during the weekend of November 14 while the final round of qualifiers will be played during the weekend of November 19 to decide the top two teams from each of the seven groups and one best third placed side to join Morocco in the finals.

CAF said in a statement on Monday that in case of equality between two best third placed sides, a play-off will be staged in Morocco to decide the fifteenth team.

Meanwhile, CAF has also officially announced that the draws for the second, third and group stages will be held on April 27 in Cairo.

The first round draws are already known with Mauritius visiting Mauritania and Eritrea hosting South Sudan in a regional derby in April with first leg dates set for the weekend of April 11.

The return legs will be played during the weekend of April 18.

Second round qualifiers will be played in May and June while the pre-group stage qualifying matches are set for the weekend of July 18 while the return legs will be held during the weekend of August 1.

WEEKEND SCORECARD
2014 Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Memorial Charity Shield Final
22/02/2014
Arthur Davies Stadium, Kitwe
Nkana 3(Simon Bwalya 54″ 77, Evans Kangwa 90″)-Red Arrows 1(Dube Phiri 5″)

2014 TOP SCORERS
After games played
15/02/2014
CUP
Dube Phiri (Red Arrows): 2
Simon Bwalya (Nkana): 2
Kelvin Mubanga (Nkana): 1
Francis Kombe (Nkana): 1
Cletus Chota (Zesco United): 1
Shadreck Malambo (Red Arrows) 1
CONTINENTAL
Simon Bwalya (Nkana): 3
Ronald Kampamba (Nkana): 2