Chipolopolo defence questioned as AFCON qualifiers looms

Football analyst Maria Banda says Chipolopolo has failed to make progress due to lack of player and coach continuity ahead of crucial 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Algeria and Togo. Banda, who has followed Zambian football for over two decades, said Zambia has become incredibly…

Football analyst Maria Banda says Chipolopolo has failed to make progress due to lack of player and coach continuity ahead of crucial 2027 AFCON qualifiers against Algeria and Togo.

Banda, who has followed Zambian football for over two decades, said Zambia has become incredibly inconsistent.

Banda said she does not blame Coach George “Chicken” Lwandamina for his 27-man squad selection for the matches on 25th and 29th September, but noted glaring gaps in team continuity.

Banda said statistics show 63 percent of the current call-ups have played for Zambia in the last five matches, indicating the team knows its attacking combination but not its midfield and defence.

“We seem to have failed to find a solid combination. Perhaps that is why every coach who comes in wants to try his own combination,” Banda said.

She noted that the attacking force of Patson Daka, Fashion Sakala and Lameck Banda is a well-established combination with competitive experience together.

However, she said defensive continuity remains uncertain.

“The current squad has players such as Dominic Chanda, Obino Chisala, Frederick Mwimanzi and Tinkler Sinkala. These players have some recent level of international exposure, but the defensive unit is not the same established combination that we have used in previous competitive campaigns,” Banda said.

The analyst said lack of solid combinations at this stage of AFCON qualification raises concerns about Zambia’s chances.

“Not having solid combinations at this point, when we are fighting for AFCON qualification, leaves a very bad taste in my mouth about the reality of the difficult challenge we are about to experience,” she said.

Banda questioned Zambia’s long-term football direction.

“At some point, we have to ask ourselves: when are we going to build a team rather than continually rebuild a team? Because football is not only about having talented players. It is also about continuity, understanding, combinations and knowing what the player next to you is going to do before he does it,” she said.

“And perhaps, after more than two decades of watching the Chipolopolo, this is the question that worries me the most: Zambia’s football, which way are we going?” Banda added.

Zambia is in Group I with Algeria, Togo and Burundi for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers. The finals will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.