Zambia through to CHAN quarter final stage

The Chipolopolo of Zambia are through to the quarter-final stage at the on-going Total African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Cameroon.

Coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic’s team booked a place in the knock-out stage after battling to a goalless draw in their last Group D match played at the Limbe Omnisport Stadium on Wednesday.

Zambia came all out from the start to try and get an early goal, but the Namibian team defended in numbers. Emmanuel Chabula and Luka Banda had their shots blocked by the Namibian goalkeeper Ndisiro Kamaijanda.

Namibia also had Elmo Kambindu and Zachriah Chilongoshi come close to finding the next for Namibia before the first half ended.

After resumption, the two teams again came all out again to create many scoring chances but failed to finish.

Elmo Ukondja Kambindu almost gave Namibia the lead after 81 minutes, but his shot from inside the box was perfectly blocked for a corner.

Zambia’s Chilongoshi again came close but his shot after 89 minutes was blocked. Zambia continued to attack in numbers but failed to find the net.

After finishing second in Group D, Coach Sredojevic’ s team will now face defending champions Morocco in the quarter-final stage, while Guinea who topped the Group will battle Rwanda.

It will be the third CHAN quarter-final stage that Zambia qualify for after getting to the same stage in 2016 and 2018 in Morocco. The Chipolopolo finished third in the inaugural CHAN tournament held in Ivory Coast in 2009.