Former Zambia striker Zeddy Saileti has shared his thoughts ahead of a high-stakes Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifier, stating that the pressure is firmly on defending champions Ivory Coast. Zambia will host the Elephants in a critical Group G match on November 11 at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, where both teams will battle for an elusive spot in the tournament.
Ivory Coast currently leads Group G with nine points, trailed closely by Zambia on seven points, while Sierra Leone and Chad hold four and two points respectively.
With no team yet to secure qualification and two matches remaining, the clash is crucial.
Ivory Coast missed a prime opportunity to seal their place in AFCON with an unexpected 1-0 loss to Sierra Leone on October 15 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Liberia.
“They have a star-studded team, and on paper, they seem like they should already be qualified, but Zambia needs to apply themselves,” Saileti remarked.
Pressure is on Ivory Coast; they need to prove themselves.”
As defending champions, Ivory Coast has a rich history of qualifying for AFCON tournaments, appearing in every edition since 2006 and qualifying as hosts only once.
The last time the Elephants missed out on AFCON was in 2004.
A draw against Zambia could be enough for Ivory Coast to advance, yet for Chipolopolo, securing qualification will require a decisive result, leaving them little room for error.
Zambia’s head coach, Avram Grant, has helped reignite the team’s competitive spirit, pushing them within reach of consecutive AFCON qualifications—an achievement the team has not managed since the 2012-2015 cycle.
Saileti, who represented Zambia in the AFCON tournaments of 1994 and 1996, remains optimistic, noting the recent win over Chad as an example of the team’s ability to surpass expectations.
With key players sidelined due to injury, Zambia faces an additional hurdle.
Leicester City’s Patson Daka, Lecce’s Lameck Banda, captain Lubambo Musonda, and midfielder Miguel Chaiwa all missed the previous game against Chad.
Despite these setbacks, Saileti believes Zambia thrives under low expectations and feels the team can rise to the challenge once again.
“The last game against Chad was not easy, yet we came through,” he noted, recalling Zambia’s 1-0 victory in Yaounde, Cameroon, where Kennedy Musonda secured the win in the 70th minute.
We have to work hard, and I am confident we can qualify.
The team should be motivated by that result.”
In a David-versus-Goliath matchup, Zambia will face an Ivorian squad packed with talent from Europe’s top leagues.
Saileti, however, believes this could play in Zambia’s favor, giving Chipolopolo an opportunity to demonstrate their determination and tenacity.
Since joining as head coach in December 2022, Avram Grant has seen mixed results, with six wins, four draws, and five losses in competitive games.
Despite struggling in the World Cup qualifiers, Grant’s AFCON campaign has shown promise, rekindling Zambia’s aspirations to reach back-to-back AFCON tournaments.
Grant’s leadership, Saileti suggests, has exceeded initial expectations.
He has done well; credit is due. We did not expect some of the results, but he’s done fairly well if you ask me.”
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is scheduled to review Grant’s future with the national team in December, as his contract approaches its expiration at the end of 2024.
For now, Zambia’s immediate focus remains on securing a place in Morocco, with Saileti and Zambian fans hopeful their team can make history under Grant’s guidance.
