Football
Exclusive: Saileti says Pressure on Ivory Coast as Zambia targets AFCON Qualification
Zambian legend Zeddy Saileti says Ivory Coast faces more pressure than Zambia in their upcoming AFCON qualifier, as Chipolopolo seeks a crucial win to secure their spot.
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Former Zambia striker Zeddy Saileti believes pressure is on Ivory Coast ahead of Chipolopolo’s clash against the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) defending champions Ivory Coast in a qualifier on November 11.
Zambia hosts the Elephants in a Group G 2025 qualifier at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. With two games to spare, none of the four teams in the group has secured qualification, making this clash a must win for both sides.
Ivory Coast lead the group with nine points, trailed by Zambia who sits second with seven points while Sierra Leone and Chad are on four and two points respectively.
The Elephants missed a chance to seal qualification with two games to spare on October 15 when they were stunned by Sierra Leone in a 1-0 defeat at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia.
Being defending champions, Ivory Coast cannot afford to drop the ball when they travel Zambia to face Chipolopolo who are chasing a second straight qualification under the guidance of former Chelsea trainer Avram Grant.
PRESSURE IS ON THE IVORIANS
Saileti who represented Zambia at the Tunis 1994 Cup of Nations and the 1996 edition in South Africa has observed that Emerse Fae’s men are the ones under pressure
Pressure is on Ivory Coast, they need to prove themselves, they have a star studded team and they have been there and on paper, they seem like they have qualified automatically, but Zambia needs to apply themselves.
Zeddy Saileti
Ivory Coast has no problems qualifying to the AfCON. Since 2006, they have appeared at 10 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, nine of which were through qualifiers while on one occasion, they qualified as hosts.
The last time they failed to qualify was in 2004. Going into the game against Zambia, they have an advantage in that even a minimum of a draw may put them on the plane to Morocco. Zambia doesn’t have the same luxury.
ZAMBIA THRIVES WHEN EXPECTATIONS ARE LOW
Injuries have rocked the Zambia camp during the last two games with key players like Paston Daka of Leicester City, Lecce’s Lameck Banda, skipper Lubambo Musonda, midfielder Miguel Chaiwa among others missing the last game against Chad due to injury.
Facing an Ivory Coast side that boasts of an array of talent that plays in major European leagues, most Zambians do not have high expectations going into the match, but Saileti believes the conditions are right for Chipolopolo to thrive.
“The last game we won in Chad [played in Cameroon], no one expected that we could get a positive result and I think that result should motivate the team, players should believe in themselves and I think we can pull through,” he said.
On October 15, Chipolopolo beat Chad 1-0 at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde, Cameroon courtesy of a Kennedy Musonda 70th minute goal.
“The way the situation was when they were going to face Chad, it was like, ‘impossible’ but we did well, they [Zambia] have to work hard and I am positive that we can qualify, I am very confident,” he said
AVRAM GRANT HAS DONE WELL
Saileti has praised Grant’s work since the Israeli took charge of the team back in December 2022.
Grant took over a team that had not qualified to the AfCON since 2015. He managed to clinch qualification for the 2023, played in 2024 event although the team went on to bow out in the group stage.
His record in competitive games stands at six wins, four draws and five defeats. While he has struggled in the 2026 World Cup qualifying race, Grant is two games away from leading Zambia to a back to back Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, something that has never happened since the period between 2012 and 2015.
“So far so good, he has done well, we give credit to him, we did not expect certain results but he has done fairly well if you ask me,” Saileti said.
In December, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) will be sitting to discuss Grant’s future at the helm of the team with his contract coming to an end by the end of 2024.
Mathews is an experienced public relations practitioner, journalist, and photographer. He began his career as a sports reporter at the Zambia Daily Mail, one of the country's leading publications.