Zambia has been drawn in group E for the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The Chipolopolo will play Congo Brazaville, Kenya and Guinea Bissau on the road to Gabon who were announced as hosts ahead of Ghana and Algeria just before the draw was conducted.
Zambia have a fairly easy group and will be expected to make the finals in a country where they won the trophy in 2012.
FULL DRAW
Group A
Tunisia, Togo, Liberia, Djibouti
Group B
Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Central Africa Republic, Madagascar
Group C
Mali, Equatorial Guinea, Benin, South Sudan
Group D
Burkina Faso, Uganda, Botswana, Comoros
Group E
Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Guinea Bissau
Group F
Cape Verde, Morocco, Libya, Sao Tome
Group G
Nigeria, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad
Group H
Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Mauritius
Group I
Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Gabon
Group J
Algeria, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Seychelles
Group K
Senegal, Niger, Nambia, Burundi
Group L
Guinea, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland
Group M
Cameroon, South Africa, Gambia, Mauritania
How many teams qualify from the group.
I think it was a delebalate draw, it can’t be so fair in all groups.
But it is unfair that the “weak” teams will not qualify. There are no group of “death”. It is better to group the wimp teams together.
It is like:
Group A: Zesco, Muchindu, Senanga United, Mkushi Leopards
Group B: Nkana, Serenje Tigers, Mongu Fire, Mumbwa centric
Group C: Power Dynamos, etc etc etc
Iwe ni two always.
No Mr Tembo. Its just one top team. Gabon have already qualified and its games in Group I will be considered as friendlies. So CIV, Sudan and Sierraleon will battle for one spot in that group.The other 2 spots will go to the 2nd best runners up in the rest of the groups except group I where 3 teams will battle it out. Gabon has qualified even if they lost all 6 games in their group as they will not count.
John. Considering that they are 13 teams in the top seeds meaning 13 groups. It will likely be the top team and 2 best runner ups with the addition of the host who qualifies automatically.
Poor Anaya’s, if there are 13 groups and each group has 4, then the total is 52 teams,, half of that assuming two teams to qualify from each team means 26 teams ,,only 16 teams are needed, or is it me not thinking clearly..??
Kaili efyo indandile. 13 groups with only the top teams qualifying equals 13 plus the top 2 runners up equals 15, elo plus the host equals 16.
Given that situation, may I just say that Zambia are in trouble
@ positive you’re right that’s why I asked the question. Only one team can qualify automatically.
What is the latest info on our new coach?
Zambia may be the only southern african team to qualify to 2017 afcon if u analyse all groups carefuly. We only have Congo Brazaville but we cant fail to beat them home and away.
Mozambique may top that group if they beat Rwanda there only threat in their group to join us from our region.
Your stupidity has started. I thought u were growing up. A mad man is always a mad man indeed. Talk about our chances & stop the nonsense se u have with the West Africans
Am not your friend so stop barking at me.
Then stop the nonsense
I am a bit lost here, was Morocco not banned?
yes.Thats valid point you raised
Their ban was lifted after they appealed.
It was lifted by caf so that all african countries can vote for blatter
Nigeria is in trouble with Egypt.
Egypt is not a threat anymore just as any magrebian team!!!
It ll be hard for any African country including north Africans to win the afcon again and the reasons are not far fetched!!
The north Africans had an edge over west coast Africans simply becasue of their TACTICAL SUPREMACY but west Africans has became masters of tactical play due to European aacademies as well as so many of our players playing in elite leagues!!
The dominance of north African teams over west Africa is over!
Idi, yeah, the tactical growth of west Africa has been a huge factor, but you can also place this on the political turmoil that is now plaguing countries like Egypt and Tunisia. Egypt won AFCON with a majority of local players and now the league has been postponed due to all this trouble. Another thing was always age, that golden generation of Egyptian players are now retired or in the twilight of their careers.
Group F is the group of death..
Uganda stands a good chance of qualifying this time
So we qualify to the Africa cup and then what? No need to be excited if we are only going there for 3 games like we have in the last couple of outings
How is Gabon in Group I if they are the hosts?
All the teams have equal strength and that are all minnows!
A group of minnows and we all know that, when zambia meets their MINNOW MATES they struggle!!
When they meet GIANTS they performed averagely!!!
This group ll be tough for Zambia as all the teams has equal strength!!!
There is no Ghana or naija in there to motivate them and their results ll be abysmal as ever!
Morocco has been allowed to participate after the cas reversed caf decision.
Get a new good coach right now. With Janza Chipolopolo can not qualify. This is one of the weakest groups but we won’t qualify unless we get a better coach as soon as possible.
John How are you? long time.
I expect the same to qualify from this group. Congo Brazzaville is the only tough team in the group.
Zambia may struggle in this group but will definitely qualify as group winners
There is nothing special about Zambia national team. Gabon may qualify if Claude Lorey is still there. We have been recycling players who have failed on many occasions. Zambia has no good strikers period…
I guess you meant to say … “CONGO may qualify if Claude Leroy…”.
People who think Zambia will have it easy will have a shock of their lives. The current team in it’s format now is a complete SHAMBLES! We are going to be eaten ALIVE in the congolese jungle. MARK MY WORDS!
All I can say is that Zambia is not safe just like any other team in each of the groups. There will be surprises.
I mean congo Brazzaville…apart from Kalaba and Sunzu no one is willing to die a little. When Afcon qualifiers start tou will see these coaches even calling Mayuka who has had little game time. Does it mean that Zambia has ran out of talent? Don’t forget the shambolic travel arrangement…
FAZ CRIMINAL AND DICTATOR Kalusha Bwalya has to engage an experienced coach with a proven track record and pedigree. We have had enough of him. Our football is DEAD. We need fresh minds and great thinkers of football to take it to a whole new level!
I hear you Kay. This Kalu is corrupt beyond belief and one wonders what is wrong with Zed people for letting this guy piss on our heads like that.
Hummar , John, Mumbi, Big Steve Positive thinking, & Stumpy… Football @ its best
Zambia is not going anywhere with Pathetic corrupt Kalu. Congo Brazzaville is going to qualify in our group. Good luck beating Claude Leroy.
The same pathetic kalu spear headed our first AFCON win in 2012.What you forgot is that we have some pathetic average players!Talk less about the pathetic GRZ officials who opt to release funds at the last minute for travels!And DONT forget about some pathetic fans and self styles soccer experts on this blog!About that !
We need a new coach
Let us consider a new coach to take Zambia to AFCON 2017.Janza is more of an instructor then a tactician, he fails to read the game, Lwandamina is even far much better than him.
1)Tunisia
2)DRC
3)Mali,
4.Uganda..Burkina Farso is finished,
5.Congo,
6.Cape Verde,
7.Nigeria,Ghana,
8.Cote D’ivoire,
9.Algeria,
10.Senegal,
11.Guinea,
12.Cameroon(Best runners up)
13.South Africa,
15 Gabon
16.Egypt as another best runner up
Unless things change with FAZ and coaching stuff, there is noway Zambia is qualifying, hard pill to swallow, but I see this coming. Call me negative, pessimistic or whatever, but its time to wake up to reality.. we suck, Leadership at FAZ suck and very corrupt, our players suck and are bench-warmers and have no desire to perform at a higher..just want to go cook chicken teriyaki in China or cooking chicken Masala in India.nonsense!
Lol. Unfortunately, I agree that Zambia has a tough task in this group. The Congo I watched at AFCON definitely has more grit than us right now. What is sad is that the players who lifted the trophy in 2012 are still around and most if not all are still active footballers so why are we in such a situation.
The key will be collecting maximum points at home and also beating Guinea Bissau away. That is 12 points that have to be gotten. Beating Kenya and Congo in their respective countries is not impossible, but is going to be tough for Zambia.
Mr Whatever U Know Yourself,you Think Zambia Wil Be Sleepin Like Your Mind Always Thinkin Negative.Football Is Always Learning From Mistakes And Polishin Up.You Think The Tectical Bench Is Not Aware About Their Failures?Are You The One Who Instructed Faz And Government To Look For A New Coach No!They Analysis Better Than You That’s Why They Are Engagin A New Coach.Zambia Wil Qualify.Zambia All The Way.
For how long are we going to be learning from 2013 to 2015 first round exit without a win. Sir we value your opinion but this time , sorry try to call later. Kalu is corrupt let him not interfere in the coaching affairs period.
cant say this is an easy group. congo brazaville is not an easy team, at our rate we cant beat kenya away. so gabon have hosted afcon twice and we are yet to?
Congo always loses to Zambia but we should not underrate them coz they have improved now, they even turn the super eagles into supper chickens and qualified ahead of Nigeria to afcon 2015. We should handle them seriously.
Good point but Congo is nowhere near Nigeria’s pedigree. U would be sweating if Nigeria were in your group. U are scared of Congo how much more the SUPER EAGLES OF Nigeria?
In the current state Zambia is as good as Comoros. Get a new good coach and become a good team like we used to be. The only difference between Zambia and other teams in the group is that Zambia can become a strong team if we are to get a good coach.
Yah that is a point , let’s get a new Coach who can shout at Players in the field of play ; who can stand ,instruct and motivate players like Herve Renard not a monument!!!!! Our Coach always makes a substute which kills zambian game , Eeeesh !!!!!
Janza is too passive, and doesn’t look like a motivator. Coaching is not just about knowing tactics and all that. It’s more than. A coach has to be a motivator, psychologist and should be there for the team when chips are down. Janza doesn’t possess these qualities and he does not look like a strong man. Just look at Herve Renard, he has the qualities of a coach. We need somebody along those line.
Our scoring rate is so poor and we need to improve, the secret to such qualifiers is, pick up maximum points at home and where possible grab 3 points away from home, but knowing zambia, kaya.
zambia is going to qualify for 2017 africa cup let surpot zambia
zambia is the best team in africa the problem is that, we dont have permanent coach.
huy guys dont insult zambian coach
lets differinciet between under 23 and international team