By Kalumiana Kalumiana
EX-Chipolopolo assistant coach Osward Mutapa says how Zambia plots its preparations over the next 10 months will be key to seeing positive outcomes at 2025 AFCON.
The 2025 AFCON draws were made in Casablanca on January 22 for the tournament Morocco will host from December 21 to January 18.
Mutapa said in an interview in Kitwe that there will be a couple of dynamics over the next 20 months that will dictate Chipolopolo’s 2025 AFCON plans.
This is the first time the wait for an AFCON will take more than a year after the qualifiers have been completed without the impact of a force majeure.
“On the draws, it is how we prepare and how many friendly games you are going to play,” Mutapa said. “Of course, there will be other players that might be coming in because they are playing well now or they will be playing before we go to AFCON.
“So it means for them to gel, you need a lot of preparations. For me in any given situation preparations are key. “
Chipolopolo are in Group A where they will face Burkina Faso, Comoros and hosts Morocco.
Zambia will face Burkina Faso in their opening Group A match on December 22 and then face Comoros on December 26 in the two sides’ debut meeting at AFCON.
Chipolopolo will then close their Group A matches on December 29 against Morocco.
The top two from each of the six groups plus the four best third-placed sides will advance to the last 16.
