Zambia hosts Chad at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in an important AFCON qualifier, following Zambia’s recent victory against Sierra Leone. Chad, in dire need of points, faces the challenge of overcoming a poor run of form. The match’s outcome is vital for both teams, with Zambia favored to win despite Chad’s push for improvement.
As Zambia prepares to host Chad at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere is filled with anticipation following Zambia’s recent success in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Having achieved a crucial victory against Sierra Leone, Zambia aims to build on their newfound momentum, while Chad is determined to rejuvenate their qualifying campaign after a series of disappointing results. In their last encounter on September 10, Zambia managed to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory against Sierra Leone, demonstrating resilience after initially losing a 1-0 lead and subsequently a 2-1 advantage. Kings Kangwa’s decisive goal five minutes before the end brought an end to Zambia’s challenging sequence of nine matches without victory. Although the defense remains a concern, with the team failing to maintain a clean sheet for 15 consecutive games, the offensive display marked a significant improvement following a five-match goal drought. Currently positioned second in Group G of the AFCON qualifiers, Zambia has the potential to extend their lead in the group, with a subsequent match against Chad next week likely to be pivotal in their qualification ambitions. Conversely, Chad has struggled significantly, enduring three defeats and one draw in their last four matches, including a recent 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast. This has left them languishing at the bottom of their qualifying group, with only one away victory since 2015. On the team news front, Zambia will be without Leicester City forward Patson Daka due to an ankle injury, while Fashion Sakala remains sidelined following differences with coach Avram Grant. However, Frankie Musonda returns from injury, and Chipyoka Songa has received his first national call-up. Chad also aims to draw on the experience of veteran player Casimir Ninga, who has impressive records for both appearances and goals within the national team. In terms of possible lineups, Zambia may field a formation featuring goalkeeper Mulenga, while Chad could deploy Allabatna in goal. As per expectations, despite Chad’s struggles lately, it is predicted that they will manage to score but ultimately fall short against Zambia, with a suggested final score of 2-1 in favor of the hosts.
The upcoming match between Zambia and Chad in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers is significant for both teams, with Zambia coming off a refreshing victory that halted a lengthy winless streak. In contrast, Chad finds itself in a precarious position at the bottom of the qualifying group, facing challenges both in scoring and defending. This context is critical as it presents Zambia with an opportunity to solidify their standing while Chad seeks to reverse their fortunes before it is too late.
In summary, Zambia enters this encounter with renewed confidence following their recent victory, while Chad is desperate for points to salvage their qualifying efforts. The match presents both opportunity and challenge, with Zambia predicted to prevail based on current form, despite Chad’s potential to score. The stakes could not be higher as both teams strive to achieve their respective goals in this crucial AFCON qualifying match.
Original Source: www.sportsmole.co.uk
