Patson Daka and the Dream of a Third Consecutive AFCON: What Zambia Need to Do

Sponsored by

SportyBetGet Bonus

Zambia qualified for AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast and AFCON 2025 in Morocco. A third consecutive AFCON appearance, this time in East Africa for the home tournament, would be something Zambia has not achieved since the early nineties. The 2012 AFCON title in Libreville is still the reference point for everything the Chipolopolo do. Every qualifier campaign, every tournament appearance, every new generation of players is measured against that night in Gabon when Zambia beat Ivory Coast on penalties to win continental football's biggest prize. A home East African AFCON gives Chipolopolo fans the chance to dream about building on that legacy rather than just remembering it.

Patson Daka is the central figure in that dream. He has been at Leicester City, he has played in the Europa League, and he continues to perform at a level that is well above what most Super League of Zambia-based players experience week-to-week. At international level, his record speaks for itself: he scores in qualifier games, he scores in tournament games, and he delivers in the moments that matter. Grant has built the entire attacking structure of the Chipolopolo around what Daka can do and the evidence from the World Cup qualifier campaign, where Zambia finished above Ivory Coast with thirteen points, suggests that structure is working.

The Group I Challenge

Algeria in Group I is the mountain. Zambia beat Ivory Coast in the World Cup qualifiers, which is a comparable quality level to Algeria in many areas. That result shows the ceiling is higher than most outside observers estimate. But Algeria in AFCON qualifier football are a different proposition to Ivory Coast in World Cup qualifiers: they have deeper experience at this specific competition level and their defensive setup is harder to break down. The games against Togo and Burundi are where Zambia build the points. The Algeria games are where they demonstrate they belong.

What Daka Needs From His Club

For Zambian bettors thinking about the long-term picture, Daka's club situation heading into the qualifier campaign is the most important variable. A fit, regularly playing Daka at club level arrives at Chipolopolo camps in September sharp, confident, and ready to score. An injured or limited Daka changes everything about how Zambia set up and how the betting markets should be read. Track his club availability from now through to the September qualifier window before committing to the Daka anytime scorer market across the campaign.

Odds are indicative and subject to change. Always check the operator site before placing. 18+ only. Please bet responsibly.

This content is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial or betting advice. Please bet responsibly. 18+ only.