By Mubukwanu Kaingu
Chipolopolo Zambia’s 2023 AFCON Group F opponents DR Congo and Morocco have each confirmed one pre-tournament friendly in January.
Morocco will host fellow 2023 AFCON finalist Gambia while DR Congo will play Burkina Faso in the United Arab Emirates.
Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet confirmed in an interview yesterday that they will face The Atlas Lions in Morocco.
“We will play Morocco on January 7 in Rabat and that is the only friendly we will have before the AFCON,” Saintfiet said.
And Moroccan media also reports that Morocco has tentative plans to play a training game when they get to their Group F base in San Pedro against a yet to be known local team.
DR Congo on the other hand will face Burkina Faso on January 10 in Abu Dhabi.
The Leopards, like Chipolopolo, will be holding their pre-2023 AFCON camp in the Middle East.
Chipolopolo will hold a two-week camp in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh from January 1-12 where they will play Cameroon in a friendly on January 9.
Zambia will kick off their Group F campaign at 2023 AFCON on January 17 against DR Congo and then play Tanzania on January 17.
Chipolopolo will wrap up their Group F fixtures on January 24 against Morocco.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo were by press time yesterday checking in for their preliminary week of local camp in Lusaka before leaving for their international camp in Saudi Arabia next week.
Chipolopolo is returning to the AFCON for the first time since 2015 which subsequently saw them missing the last three editions of the continent’s premier football championship.
