Zambia and Ivory Coast resume their rivalry on Thursday night in the second match of Group B of the CHAN 2018 tournament in Morocco.
When the draws were made, Thursday’s tie at Grand Stade de Marrakech was billed as the match of the group.
With Ivory Coast suffering a shock defeat to Namibia on Sunday, the West Africans go into the encounter under pressure to pick up a favourable result.
Buoyed by that emphatic 3-1 win over Uganda, the Copper Bullets are not pushovers, and already they are being touted by bookmakers as the tournament favourites.
Below the ZamFoot Crew looks at how the two continental powerhouses’ head to head at major tournaments since 1992.
Ivory Coast 1-0 Zambia – 1992 African Cup of Nations quarter final
This Zambia side featured the majority of the boys who died in that plane crash in Gabon a year later.
After a goalless 90 minutes, the match went to extra time and the Ivorians scored in the first to send the Kalusha Bwalya captained side home.
Ivory Coast 0-1 Zambia – 1994 African Cup of Nations
It was a new side after that tragedy on the coastal of Libreville in Gabon, and against all odds, Ian Portafield’s boys stunned the continent with victory over the West Africans in a group stage fixture.
Kenneth ‘Bubble’ Malitoli came off the bench to score and handy Zambia the victory.
Zambia went on to reach the finals and lost 2-1 to Nigeria in the final.
Current Chipolopolo assistant coach Aggrey Chiyangi played in that final at full back.
Ivory Coast 0-3 Zambia – 2009 African Nations Championship
After years of underperformance, the inaugural CHAN 2009 has been viewed as the new era of Zambian football.
Pitted against the host in Group A, Herve Renard’s boys shock the tournament with an smash and grab performance thanks to Given Singuluma hatrick.
Zambia 0-0 Ivory Coast (Zambia won 7-6 on penalties) – 2012 African Cup of Nations
Finally, the two countries met in an AFCON final in Gabon.
While the World was aware of Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Zokora, Solomon Kalou, the Toure brothers Kolo and Yaya, there was scanty information about Zambia’s own ‘Golden Generation’.
Led by captain fantastic Chris katongo, the Copper Bullets went for punch for punch against the Ivorians.
The rest is history.
Zambia beat Ivory Cost 3-0 at the can 1974 it goes beyond what u have posted
recent times only iwe
What has happened to you mate…your comments used to carry fire and wisdom…Ha, why only recent times, we need to know where we are coming from to plan long ahead…got to know your entire strength, that is why we Africans only plan two years ahead…sad…
Very wise indeed
The elephants will fail to hide from Chipolopolo , it will be a dejavu. Hahahahaha!
Somehow in the late 80s, Zambia once defeated Côte de Voire in the Nations Cup or World Cup qualifiers 4-2 on goal aggregate.
But with the current Zambia teams at the tournament looks to reach further.
All the best guys.