Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema has saluted Chipolopolo for qualifying for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations finals to be held in Ivory Coast.
The Chipolopolo secured their qualification for the first time since 2015 after thumping Ivory Coast 3-0 at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on matchday five of the qualifying campaign. Serge Aurier put the ball into his own net in the 31st minute to give Zambia the lead in the Group H contest.
In the second half, Zambia under Avram Grant increased their tempo and scored two more goals courtesy of star striker Patson Daka in the 48th minute and Kings Kangwa in the 55th minute and condemn the visiting Elephants to their first defeat of the campaign.
The qualification has caught the attention of President Hichilema, who said: “Congratulations to Chipolopolo senior football team for qualifying to the Afcon 2023 after beating Ivory Coast this afternoon at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. Eci cabota nobantu,” the Head of State posted on his Facebook page.
The victory enabled Zambia to move top of the group with 12 points, two ahead of already qualified Ivory Coast going into a dead rubber fixture away to Comoros Island in September.
Comoros have six points while Lesotho anchors the bottom with a point.
Meanwhile, Senegal coach Aliou Cisse has confessed Benin scored a magnificent goal that denied his side victory in the 1-1 draw of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture at the weekend.
Defender Abdoulaye Seck put the Lions of Teranga ahead in the Group L battle at the Stade de l’Amitie in Cotonou but the Squirrels levelled matters in the second half when Abdoul Rachid Moumini unleashed a thunderous effort that riffled into the top left corner of the net to leave Senegal goalkeeper Seny Dieng stranded to the ground.
The outcome saw the Lions of Teranga drop their first points in this campaign. However, they remained top of the group with 13 points, Mozambique second with four points, Rwanda are third with three, the same as last-placed Benin.
