In a closely contested match that saw Morocco triumph over Zambia with a 1-0 scoreline, Group F concluded with Morocco securing the top spot. The victory knocked Zambia out of the African Cup of Nations, paving the way for hosts Ivory Coast to sneak into the last 16.
The match showcased the dominance of the Atlas Lions in the first half, with Sofiane Boufal’s mesmerizing dribbling creating opportunities. The breakthrough came just before halftime as Boufal set up Achraf Hakimi, who delivered a precise cross into the six-yard box. Zambia’s goalkeeper, Lawrence Mulenga, parried the ball into the path of captain Hakim Ziyech, who calmly slotted it home for a 1-0 lead.
Despite an uphill battle for Zambia in the second half, the Chipolopolo boys came out fighting, with attempts from Lameck Banda and Patston Daka. However, they were unable to breach Morocco’s resilient defense. The tournament favorites held firm, securing the win that eliminated Zambia and granted Ivory Coast an unexpected passage into the knockout stages.
Morocco’s win not only solidified their position as group winners but also set the stage for a round of 16 clash against South Africa. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the group runners-up following a 0-0 draw with Tanzania, will face Egypt in the next round.
The problem here is the players selection, please FAZ allow the coach to go in rural areas he will be able to find quality defenders there. Zambia is not just Lusaka & Copperbelt, do not impose the players to the coach, why every time we have these short players who cannot even head off the ball from the danger zone. Our height of our defenders is really killing us , the problem here is we have two defenders only, that is Sunzu & Musonda, the rest are just passengers only.
let’s have Barotseland National team too. Palestine has a team, and are playing good in Asian cup. They will face Jordan tomorrow.
Israel plays in European Cup, ironic kaa?
We need an all inclusive team. It cannot be true that only bembas, chewas, and ngonis can play football in Zambia.
You are a typical upnd tribalist. You chi f00I. Talent is not based on tribe. That is why your t0nga president has failed
So for you, the Coach, Grant, who has no tribe in Zambia is a tribalist? Tell us then who are the good players from other tribes that the coach left out!! A good number of those players you saw there are international players! Tell us the better ones that you know from other regions who have made a grade for the national team that were left out!! You are too conscious of your tribe that is why you have destroyed public institutions with your tribalism and are now driving the country down, faster than PF did due to your institutionalized regionalism and tribalism which has resulted in entrenched cartels of theft!!
True, there is a problem with height and physique in our football teams. There are lots of tall, stout players in the north western part of Zambia. There is a skewed distribution in ‘tribal origin’ of our team’s names. No sign of the Nyambes, Hamoongas, Mushalas, Sakuwahas, Chiengis of this world, and other such. Funny enough, there is a ‘Nyambe’ in the Namibian national team, originating from the Lozis in the Caprivi Strip. Maybe he has a son/brother who can play for us?
@Zedyatu Actually Grant is a Tonga. The first Tonga to coach us at Afcon! Havent you heard the Tonga claiming to be jews? The Hakaindes and Hamaimbos say their ancestors, the Hebrews, include Habakkuk, Hosea and Haggai Kikikikiki! The more Tongas we include in Chipolopolo the better our chances. There were plenty of Tongas when Chipolopolo won Afcon: Mweene, Collins Mbesuma and Hamoonde. We must even get back that Moroccan who scored, Hakim, I’m sure he is from Gwembe.
And some upnd f00Is were busy making noise when I said that zambia cannot win a single competition in football under upnd. They can only win under pf e.g. 2012. The performance was abysmal and yet hh gives praise without true constructive feedback. When you are a failed president you have to praise failure because you are desperate to be liked
UPND is not the Zambia National Team
even your low sperm count and erectile dysfunction is UPND’s fault.
24 hours you ***** is bitter. A grown ass unproductive knee-grow still crying over politicians. Get a life you swine, your savior Lungu is NOT ever coming back, EVER! He was rejected. Get that through your thick skull.
Cyber Sally take your menopausal nansense far away from me. Don’t bring your smelly upnd frustrations to me. If your husband is not servicing you, then I don’t blame him because your attitude stinks. Fuseke!!
I think the boys played well. We should not have lost the game with Tanzania.Keep the coach and lets build on this
No! why should the coach be kept? Nyirenda had a better record and he was fired.
If it means us putting it in the constitution that nobody should ever entertain this “we played well” issue, then let it be. Football is goals. Drc out played us, Tanzania gave us a headache even before the red card, and in the first half with Morocco you are just spectators. And you will hear all these fake footballer analysts we have in Zambia will be on radio stations this weekend saying we performed because we have not been there for sometime.
I agree with you. Lets start by removing Kamanga. He is an under-achiever of great note who cant win anything. His vocabulary does not contain “Victory” in it. After we fire this loser, we should get modern coaches. We can even poach Benny McCarthy from Man U or Sam Alladyce who knows how to work with Africans.
FAZ PRESIDENT SHOULD DO THE DECENT FAZ PRESIDENT SHOULD DO THE DECENT THING AND RESIGN TOGETHER WITH HIS COACH.
WE NEED NEW BLOOD WITH BETTER IDEAS.
THE PERFORMANCE AT AFCON WAS AN EMBARASSMENT.
THE OUTGOING FAZ PRESIDENT AND HIS COACH SHOULD APOLOGISE TO THE NATION
Coach has improved the team but still a lot of work to do, mid field issues. Also Physiological punch required, all the games our players were mostly passing the ball backwards frequently instead of forward. Sense of urgency and aggression, a rare commodity in the team.
The team has played seven matches without a win and you say it has improved???
The National team has no talent just a bunch of overrated players….
If there is no talent then some of them wouldn’t have kept their careers abroad where they play, where talent and winning counts!!
Hundreds of thousands of US Dollars spent on paying this pensioner Avraham Grant. No wonder the Kwacha is depreciating. New youthful coach now, one who is astute with the current tactics.
@Zedyatu Actually Grant is a Tonga. The first Tonga to coach us at Afcon! Havent you heard the Tonga claiming to be jews? The Hakaindes and Hamaimbos say their ancestors, the Hebrews, include Habakkuk, Hosea and Haggai Kikikikiki!
tActually, The more Tongas we include in Chipolopolo the better our chances. There were plenty of Tongas when Chipolopolo won Afcon: Mweene, Collins Mbesuma and Hamoonde. We must even get back that Moroccan who scored, Hakim, I’m sure he is from Gwembe.
@Mihova, You are VERY FUNNY!! I like your sense of humor!!
At Mihova
U r funny
No matter what coach you bring if the calibre of players are not good there is nothing he can do. He is just a coach not miracle worker. The team we have is overrated. It’s not as good as media portray and create all the hype over nothing.
Chifulwe fulwe, very slow bullet. The slowest I have ever seen them. We didn’t recognise that team.