David Flower
Dailysports's expert
One of the fifth-round qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations will take place on Friday at the New Ndola Stadium, where Zambia will host Côte d'Ivoire. I suggest a bet on the goal total in this match, with favorable odds for success.
Match Preview
The Zambian national team is going through a challenging period. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, the "Copper Bullets" failed to make it past the group stage, collecting only two points and exiting the tournament early. In their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, Zambia has also struggled, with three losses in four matches, leaving them with slim hopes of advancing to the final stage.
However, Zambia still has a chance in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and the team is determined to avoid further disappointment. They lost their first qualifier to Côte d'Ivoire 0-2, followed by a victory over Sierra Leone (3-2), a draw with Chad (0-0), and a home win against Chad. Currently, Zambia sits in second place, two points ahead of Sierra Leone.
The "Elephants" of Côte d'Ivoire demonstrated resilience at the last Africa Cup of Nations. Although they had a modest group-stage performance, they advanced with a bit of luck and showed their quality in the knockout rounds, ultimately winning the Cup after a hard-fought final victory over DR Congo.
In World Cup qualifying, Côte d'Ivoire leads their group with 10 points, just one point ahead of Gabon. Their start to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has also been strong, with wins over Zambia and Chad. They comfortably defeated Sierra Leone 4-1 in their third match but unexpectedly lost to them 0-1 in the rematch. Nevertheless, Côte d'Ivoire remains at the top of the group, two points ahead of Zambia.
Probable Line-ups
- Zambia: Mulenga; Chepeshi, Chongo, Sakala, Chisala; Chama, Chaiva, Kangwa; Chipioka, Musonda, Kampamba
- Côte d'Ivoire: Fofana, Singo, Agbadou, N'Dicka, Opare, Kessié, Seri, Diakité, Krasso, Adingra, Guessand
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- In five home matches, Zambia has defeated Côte d'Ivoire twice and lost once.
- Only two of their last five encounters saw both teams scoring.
- Before their loss to Sierra Leone, the "Elephants" went 11 matches unbeaten.
Prediction
Will the reigning African champions falter for a second consecutive game? History suggests Zambia could take points from the "Elephants" on home soil, as seen with their 3-0 victory in June 2023. Our recommended bet is "Total under 2.0 goals" at odds of 1.78.
