The Journey begin………
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will be the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations,organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and will be hosted by Cameroon. The month is ompetition is January 2019.
With Zambia missing at the 2017 AFCON every soccer loving Zambian surely would have been looking forward to the 2019 draws and specifically to see which teams would again be obstacles for the 2012 champions ……The draws are out and the road to Cameroon can now be planned. But who stands on our way?
Guinea Bissau, Namibia and Mozambique.
On a glimpse this already looks like an easy group were Zambia can have an easy road but that notion is what has costed us in the past. Let’s believe that there are no longer small teams on the continent and each game has to be prepared with all the concetration there is if at all we are to bounce back and be part of the 2019 AFCON.
Here is a quick look at our head to head with the three teams.
Guinea Bissau
Responsible for our sitting out of 2017 AFCON and that will be like getting revenge to topple them and qualify. A team we have only played twice drawing at home and losing 3-2 away will await better preparations to change those fortunes . Without a doubt on paper this one is the toughest opponent.
Namibia
Our neighbour and underrate them at your own peril and Cosafa games with Namibia would give us an idea what the team can do. Zambia has played Namibia 16 times, winning 7 times , drawing 5 and losing 4. 3 of those loses were in the COSAFA tournament. It maybe easier on paper but not on the pitch. Namibian football is on the high and any slip up they may spoil the party once more.
Mozambique
When they saw the draw Mozambiqans should have said…”Not again.” This is the team that has never won a game against Zambia in 20 attempts . Losing 17 and drawing 3 that’s a record they will always look at and try to change the fortunes as we go to these qualifiers . They will be determined to do that.
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FAZ should be smiling with the draws and the smiles should as well lead them to better preparations especially the utilisation of fifa calendar days for good friendlies for the national team. This is now a true rebuilding phase for the team and a period to forget that we won the 2012 edition and start preparing for this one.
WE CAN DO IT!!!
