2019 AfCON a must – Wada

Sat, 14 Jan 2017 11:08:45 +0000

By GRACE CHAILE -LESOETSA

 CHIPOLOPOLO head coach Wedson Nyirenda says the 2019 Africa Cup of Nation is a must qualification for Zambia but calls for right attitude and preparation.

According to the CAF draws conducted in Libreville, Gabon, on Thursday, Zambia was drawn against Guniea Bissau, Namibia and Mozambique in Group K of the 2019 AfCON qualifiers.

Reacting to the draw in an interview yesterday, Nyirenda described the group as fair and predicted a tricky race for the Chipolopolo.

He said Zambia’s opponents have improved their game in recent years and were all a threat to any team’s qualification hopes.

“It is a fair draw. The group looks favourable but will not predict an easy race for Zambia. There is no small team; the teams keep improving and are a threat to the Chipolopolo’s qualification.

‘‘But I believe we can qualify with the right attitude and preparation. 2019 AfCON is a must qualification and will rekindle the 2012 memories,” he said.

He said Zambia was among the big guns during the draws, hence it was expected to replicate their status in the race to the Cameroon 2019 AfCON finals.

Nyirenda said he will not dwell on Zambia’s unimpressive performance against Guniea Bissau and Namibia in the last years.

“Guniea Bissau may have ended Zambia’s race to the 2017 AfCON but that is in the past. What is important is to learn from the past mistakes and generate positives.  Namibia has a good team and I know how Mozambique plays. But we just have to work hard and finish on top of the group,” he said.

He said he will work on a plan to ensure the local based players assemble as soon as possible.

Zambia’s first match will be against Mozambique in June this year. The Chipolopolo missed out on the 2017 AfCON.

And Sports Fans Association patron Yotam Mwanza said Zambia had a quality team to finish leaders in their group.

“I think we have a good technical bench and team to take us to the 2019 AfCON. We are familiar to our opponents and that gives the team an advantage. The AfCON is our birth right and we must qualify,” he said.