By Staff Reporter
EX-Chipolopolo captain and defender Elijah Tana is backing the Patson Daka-Fahsion Sakala generation to surprise a lot of people at the 2023 AFCON in January.
Chipolopolo is returning to the AFCON in January after an eight-year exile following an unprecedented failure to qualify for the last three tournaments.
Tana said in an interview from Chingola that he thinks this Chipolopolo team could even march the exploits of the 2012 AFCON winning side.
“This team can shock and surprise a lot of teams at the AFCON because the players have more fire in them than the 2012 team,” Tana said.
“Another key factor is unlike the 2012 team, this one has more professionals based outside Africa, particularly in Europe so the level of exposure is unquestionable.
“They have grown together after suffering through the last three qualifiers and in the 2023 qualifiers they have shown another level of energy and are more mature.
“But another big factor is the coach Avram Grant. He has seen it all and is a very experienced coach and we have all seen the job he has done in just four games in the qualifiers that there is a difference in the teams’ mentality.”
Tana is a veteran of three AFCONs in 2000, 2002 and 2006.
He also captained Zambia to a third-place finish at the 2009 CHAN during the inaugural tournament hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo will know their 2023 AFCON opponents when the draws are made on October 12 in Abidjan at 21h00.
Zambia is in Pot Three in the draws meaning they will avoid South Africa, Cape Verde Guinea, Equatorial Guinea and Mauritania who are seeded with them in the same pool.
However, Chipolopolo could find themselves in a group of death against two other ex-AFCON champions with Pot One and Two because ten out of the twelve sides in that bracket are former winners.
Cote d’Ivoire will host the AFCON from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
2023 AFCON DRAW POTS (Based on FIFA Rankings)
POT ONE: Cote d’Ivoire (Hosts), Morocco, Senegal (Defending champions), Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt
POT TWO: Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, DR Congo
POT THREE: South Africa, Cape Verde, Guinea, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania
POT FOUR: Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, Gambia, Tanzania
