By Mubukwanu Kaingu
Chipolopolo last evening squandered an opportunity to go top of the group after they were held 1-1 by Tanzania during the ongoing Afcon tournament in Ivory Coast.
Zambia had to rely on Leicester City striker Patson Daka’s 88th minute headed equaliser from a Clatous Chama corner having trailed Tanzania for long stretches and having played with 10 men after the much criticised Roderick Kabwe was shown marching orders in the first half, 33 minutes after Tanzania had taken the lead.
Tanzania had opportunities to extend the lead having dominated long stretches of the match, but Zambia firmly held with the equaliser coming from Daka and could have even added a second from a Lameck Banda long range effort which was parried for a corner by overstretching hands of the Tanzania goalkeeper.
Earlier, Grant had said that the gap between the big and small African football nations is gradually being bridged but the mighty will continue to dominate at AFCON.
By press time, only defending AFCON champions Senegal were the only one of the ten of the tournament’s most successful teams leading their group.
Emerging nations Cape Verde and Equatorial Guinea were leading Group B and Group A respectively heading into their final preliminary stage fixtures that start today.
But two previous AFCON winners Nigeria and record seven-time champions Egypt are second in the five of the six groups that had wrapped up their round two group fixtures.
However, the second most successful nation Cameroon and third best-ever Ghana are both third in their respective groups and both battling to avoid a first round exit.
Grant said during Saturday’s pre-match briefing in San Pedro ahead of Chipolopolo’s match last night against Tanzania that results are testament that football development programmes and strategies were robust across Africa.
“You also see that these days the big teams, what words can I use, used to destroy the small teams are finishing just like in Europe,” Grant said.
“Also, the big teams stay big because they have the best players but the gap is slowly, slowly being reduced.”
Grant added that the reputation of the AFCON is growing by each tournament despite its controversial timing in the middle of the major European seasons that have led to club-versus-country rows.
“I think so far the tournament is of very good quality with good ambition from the players. I am very impressed,” Grant said.
“I haven’t watched all the games but from what I have seen I have enjoyed the games. It is a good competition with good players coming from Europe.
“And this is the nature of AFCON when someone is playing good, he is going to Europe but they are also missing from their clubs. I faced it when I was a club coach too but it is a very good tournament for development.”
