Veteran Coach Wedson Nyirenda has hinted that […]

Veteran Coach Wedson Nyirenda has hinted that the Chipolopolo have a high chance of beating North African side Algeria in the upcoming 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

The Chipolopolo have been drawn in Group I against Algeria, Burundi, and Togo; the team is looking to make its 20th appearance at the regional showpiece, and perhaps a second title is loading.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times, Nyirenda, who engineered a home-and-away beating of Algeria, including a 3-1 victory in a World Cup qualifier in 2017, revealed that the key to moving a notch higher in the qualifiers is to prepare adequately.

“It’s a fair draw; there is nothing to fear. Every other team in the group is beatable, and every other team can qualify, but I think it all depends on how we plan as a team and how adequately we stick to the plan.”

He urged the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to get in full swing by organizing quality friendlies to avoid reverting to the previous trend in which the team missed out on qualifying for the AFCON in three consecutive tournaments.

Wada Wada, who has been a stellar figure in local football, urged FAZ to create a long-term plan as opposed to preparing when the qualifiers start, revealing that this usually dunks the team’s performance.

“It’s not good to think of qualification when the draws are done; it’s not supposed to be like that in modern football. We should have a plan for how the team should be prepared; we should do our homework thoroughly.

The stakes are higher than ever, and the nation awaits to see what the new and experienced gaffer George Lwandamina will do. It’s do or die!

Article by Samuel Mutale