Burundi head coach John Sangwa Mayani has praised his players for their performance after securing a valuable point in a 1-1 draw against Zambia in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group I qualifier at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.
The visitors came from behind to hold the Chipolopolo, with Jean Claude Girumugisha scoring an 82nd-minute equaliser after Edward Chilufya had given Zambia the lead in the second half.
Mayani described the result as important, acknowledging that his side had anticipated a difficult encounter against Zambia but was pleased with the players’ response.
“It’s a very crucial point we have got in Zambia. As expected, we knew it would be a very difficult game, but credit to my players, who had a very good game. We are going home with one point,” he said.
The Burundi coach insisted his team had travelled to Ndola with an attacking mindset and was determined to secure a positive result rather than simply defend.
“From the start, you could see that we didn’t come here to play defensively. We came here to get a win. That’s why we managed to get a point, and we will carry the same spirit back home as we target maximum points,” Mayani added.
Despite the encouraging result, he warned that the return fixture in Bujumbura on November 17 would present another difficult challenge, insisting that neither side could take anything for granted.
“We cannot say it will be an easy game in Bujumbura. It will be very difficult. Just as we came here and got a point, they can also come to our home and get a positive result. We will continue preparing so that we can get something positive from the second game,” he said.
Mayani also acknowledged that his team had created opportunities in the first half without converting them, but was pleased that they eventually found the breakthrough after the interval.
He said the technical bench would work on addressing the team’s shortcomings ahead of the return encounter.
The Burundi coach further defended his substitutions, explaining that changes were necessary in a high-intensity contest and did not necessarily mean a team would lose its momentum.
The draw leaves Zambia on four points from three matches, level with Algeria, while Togo have three points and Burundi two.
Togo will host Algeria on Saturday in another important Group I encounter.
Zambia will travel to Bujumbura for the return fixture against Burundi on November 17, with the Chipolopolo looking to bounce back and strengthen their qualification hopes.
With all four teams still firmly in contention, Group I remains finely poised.
