FAZ President Andrew Kamanga lauds Zambia following AFCON qualification

Zambia drew 1-1 with Comoros away from home at the weekend to secure their place at the finals to take place in the Ivory Coast next year.

Kamanga published his thanks in his weekly President's corner, writing: "There is so much going on in our game that sometimes it is hard not to be overly optimistic about the future. Lest we get ahead of ourselves, let us delve into the big-ticket item for the previous week which was the Chipolopolo outing in Moroni. Thanks to the government for the support towards the Chipolopolo which has helped sustain the momentum for success. We also wish to pay tribute to the fans both at home and those that travelled with us to Comoros for giving the team an extra push."

Kamanga naturally also applauded the players and management for achieving their aims.

He added: "We also have to take cognisance of the efforts of the players and technical bench their tireless efforts to realise the target of AFCON qualification. We were happy to conclude the campaign as table toppers although beyond this point, it will be more important to make the qualification count. In our usual prudent style, we will ensure that the Chipolopolo are adequately prepared for the Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off in January.

"We have directed the technical bench to draw up a program for the AFCON preparations that will be shared with key stakeholders like the government. A tentative program has already been availed to the key stakeholders and is being refined. We will never tire from ensuring that our teams are afforded quality preparations for international tournaments. We are conscious that the Chipolopolo have FIFA World Cup qualifiers coming up in November and have as always lined up friendly matches prior to the November matches against Congo Brazzaville and Niger."