Zambia captain Christopher Katongo says the team is primed for today’s derby showdown against Zimbabwe in the two sides 2016 CAF African Nations championship (CHAN) Group D opener.
Katongo and fellow 2012 Africa Cup winning hero Isaac Chansa are expected to headline Zambia’s charge at CHAN in what will be Chipolopolo’s first outing at the tournament exclusively for home-based players since 2009.
“The team is well balanced. Most important for us is team work. In the opening game, the team with more energy and desire will win,” Katongo said who now plays for Green Buffaloes.
“We are ready for the derby against Zimbabwe. We need each other to win. We have done our homework and we are ready.”
And a lot of expectations have been placed on Katongo and Zanaco midfielder Chansa’s shoulders who were not part of the qualifiers as the CHAN team heads into their opening match minus striker Winston Kalengo whose three goals propelled Zambia to the finals.
Kalengo is now ineligible after moving to AC Leopards of Congo-Brazzaville from Zesco United this month.
Meanwhile, Zambia will after Tuesday afternoons game face Uganda in their penultiamte Group D match on January 23.
Zambia will wrap-up their Group D engagements on January 27 against Mali.
We want more goals in the opponents net than grains of rice in the pot.
Go Zambia go!
GO GO ZAMBIA
Chipoooooooooooloooooooooopoooooooooooooolooooooooooo iye
We have failed to move on and brought back Chris. …this is what happens when you have no plan for youth!!
The mixture is perfect, a team must be balance, look at Ivory Coast that won, african CUP, almost same team Zambia beat to lift africa Cup, You need experience blanded with up coming starts,
Zambia dropped, experienced players and featured young boys, without any record of success to warrant national team call up, and went out in the first round. You don’t change the team in the name of Youth,
Copper vs. Platinum! It’s hard to contemplate the outcome.
Sweet victory indeed. Congratulations, Chipolopolo.
Full Time results Zambia 1 Zimbabwe 0 Goal By I Chansa
Though am Zimbabwean, i would like to congratulate the Chipolopolo boys for teaching our guys a lesson.
Its good for Zambia to blend youth with experience. I always watch Zambian league and the clubs are good. Green Buffaloes, Zesco, Mufulira wanderers, Nkana, Red Arrows etc are some of the best clubs in Zambia from where the talent is tapped. Am seeing Zambia going into the final.