Chipolopolo head coach Avram Grant says his side is determined to end their CHAN campaign on a positive note when they face Kenya in their final Group A encounter tomorrow at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference at Kasarani Stadium, Grant stressed the importance of approaching the game with a winning mentality despite the difficult run of results in the tournament.
“We want to finish the tournament strong. This is our last game in the tournament and we are facing Kenya who are playing at home. We need a winning attitude in such difficult times,” he said.
Grant acknowledged that the match will not be easy considering the Chipolopolo are coming off three consecutive defeats, but believes that a committed performance can see them end their campaign on a high.
“It won’t be easy because we are coming from three losses. It’s a serious game and we want the players to give it their best,” he stated.
The former Chelsea boss also expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to assess some players before considering them for senior national team duty.
“We had two stages; first we wanted to create the identity of our team – how we play and behave – just like we did with the first team. It is our last game in the tournament, unfortunately,” said Grant.
He also touched on the controversial officiating in their previous fixture against Morocco, expressing disappointment over the disallowed goal and disciplinary decisions.
“I don’t like to speak about referees, but the yellow cards and the disallowed goal disturbed us in the last game. We sent a letter and we expect answers from the committee,” he added.
Zambia will conclude their Group A assignment tomorrow at 14:00 CAT, hoping to secure their first points of the competition when they take on table-topping Kenya. Chipolopolo currently sit at the bottom of the group with no points from three matches and will be aiming to restore pride with a strong finish.
