September 09, (THEWILL) – Zambia claimed top spot in Group H of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, after battling to a 1-1 draw away to Comoros on Saturday evening.
The Chipolopolo had to come from behind at the Malouzini Omnisports Stadium, with Patson Daka’s second-half strike cancelling out Benjaloud Youssouf’s opener on the stroke of half-time.
Zambia suffered an early injury blow when Kelvin Kapumbu was replaced after 13 minutes. Comoros gained momentum and went close through Ahmed Mogni before Youssouf’s free-kick broke the deadlock.
Chipolopolo improved after the break. Benedict Chepeshi delivered a fine cross for Daka to finish brilliantly and level proceedings. Emmanuel Banda was later denied by the Comoros goalkeeper Salim Ben Biona when through one-on-one.
Both sides pushed for a winner but had to settle for a share of the spoils. The 1-1 draw saw Zambia end their qualifying campaign in first place ahead of Cote d’Ivoire on goal difference. Meanwhile, Comoros finished third in the group behind Cote d’Ivoire. While it was not the victory Zambia sought, they will be content to complete their objectives and advance to the Cup of Nations.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
