Zambia’s head coach, Avram Grant, remains optimistic about his side’s chances of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite being held to a goalless draw by Chad in their Group G qualifier at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The Chipolopolo were left frustrated by Chad’s physical approach and a string of injuries, but Grant believes his team is well-positioned to secure their spot in the tournament.
Speaking after the match, Grant expressed his frustration with Chad’s defensive and aggressive play, which he felt contributed to his side’s inability to break the deadlock.
They [Chad] are very physical, and they have a lot of physical players.
I think the referee, who I respect very much, allowed them to be too aggressive,” Grant said.
At half-time, I told him that one of our players would get injured if this continued, and unfortunately, it happened with Lawrence [Mulenga].”
Zambia’s injury woes were compounded when midfielder Miguel Chaiwa was forced off the pitch in the 25th minute following a heavy challenge from Chad’s Eric Mbangoussoum.
Goalkeeper Lawrence Mulenga also had to be stretchered off in the second half, further depleting an already injury-hit squad.
Grant was particularly frustrated that the tackle on Chaiwa was not penalized more harshly.
I’m sure that it was a red card.
If the referee had been stricter, we could have avoided these injuries,” he added.
Despite the setback, Grant remains upbeat about Zambia’s prospects, emphasizing that there are still three more games to play in the qualification campaign.
I believe in being positive and optimistic.
We have a lot of reasons to be hopeful,” the former Chelsea manager said.
When you take so many players out of the team in just one week, plus your best striker, not many teams can still perform like this.
What I saw today and in our previous matches gives me a lot of encouragement.”
Zambia currently sits second in Group G with four points, trailing group leaders Côte d’Ivoire, who have nine points after their convincing win over Sierra Leone.
Chad, with two points, is in third place, while Sierra Leone remains at the bottom with just one point.
Looking ahead to the reverse fixture against Chad in Yaoundé, Grant is confident that his team will rise to the challenge.
“Zambia doesn’t have a big squad, but we will find a solution. I am very optimistic because of what I saw today, and what I saw against Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast.
I believe that after the next three games, we will qualify for AFCON.”
Tuesday’s match in Yaoundé presents an opportunity for Zambia to strengthen their qualification bid, while Chad will be looking to build on their solid defensive display.
Côte d’Ivoire will face Sierra Leone in Monrovia, further shaping the group’s qualification race as the tournament draws nearer.
With three games remaining in the qualification stage, Grant’s optimism and Zambia’s resilience will be put to the test as they aim to book their place in Morocco for AFCON 2025.
