Zambia U23 coach Osward Mutapa has stressed the importance of starting their Morocco 2023 U23 AFCON qualifying race with a vital away result against Sierra Leone on Saturday.
Young Chipolopolo faces Sierra Leone in a 2023 U23 AFCON second round, first leg qualifier away in Liberia at the SKD Stadium in Monrovia.
Sierra Leone is hosting Zambia in Monrovia because they do not have a CAF-certified venue in Freetown.
Zambia go into the game hunting to qualify for U23 AFCON for an unprecedented third successive time following success in 2015 and 2019.
However, Zambia has yet to advance from the group stage of Africa’s Olympic qualifying tournament in both attempts.
Coach Osward Mutapa said that the onus is also on his charges to emulate their colleague’s fruitful 2022.
The Copper Queens qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and won the 2022 COSAFA Women’s Cup while Green Buffaloes Women’s FC qualified for the 2022 CAF Women’s Champion League tournament.
Zambia U20 boys clinched a 2023 U20 AFCON tournament spot after winning the 2022 COSAFA U20 Cup while Chipolopolo lifted the 2022 COSAFA Cup.
“Just like the trend has been over the last few months of the Zambian teams we need to copy from them. Our emphasis has been on our destination, which is to go and play in Morocco,” Mutapa said.
“It is about how we apply ourselves tomorrow. Yes, the emphasis has been there but we definitely need to qualify.”
Zambia starts its qualifying race without an away loss dating back 11 years ago when Algeria beat them 3-0 away in a final round fixture on June 3 2011 in Algiers.
Since then, Zambia are unbeaten with two wins and two draws on the road during their last two successful qualifying campaigns in which Young Chipolopolo remains unbeaten.
Meanwhile, the return leg against Sierra Leone is set for October 29 at National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka.
The winner over both legs will play Egypt or Eswatini in the final qualifying round next March.
Egypt is away in the first leg on Sunday.