Zambia welcome already-qualified Morocco to Levy Mwanawasa Stadium on Monday, hoping to revive their slim chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup through the playoff route.
The Chipolopolo sit third in a depleted Group E, with six points from five matches, while the North African visitors have already secured automatic progression, sitting eight points clear of second place.
Group E has experienced its share of disruptions during the qualifying campaign, creating irregularities that have influenced how points were accumulated by several teams.
While Zambia benefited from a walkover against Congo, Eritrea’s early withdrawal has left the Chipolopolo with a narrow window to secure a playoff berth.
With automatic qualification already out of reach, the Copper Bullets are eight points behind the team with the fewest points among the four best runners-up, making maximum points crucial on Monday.
Zambia would need to dig deep for this, having secured only one genuine win on the pitch — a 4-2 triumph over Congo — in addition to their walkover over the same opponent.
However, Zambia enter this encounter with little confidence at either end, shipping twelve in seven games across all competitions, failing to win any while drawing blank in four matches.
Despite Morocco having little at stake in this encounter, the Atlas Lions are likely to continue their perfect run against Zambia, whose recent meetings with the North Africans have ended in defeat.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
