Zambia’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 campaign ended in disaster. Four games.
Four defeats. Zero points. The Chipolopolo exited the tournament bottom of Group A, a stunning fall from grace for a nation with such deep footballing history.
Yet even in the face of embarrassment, head coach Avram Grant found reason to speak positively—especially about Kenya, the host nation.
Zambia opened their CHAN 2024 run with a painful 2–0 loss to DR Congo, followed by a 2–1 defeat to Angola.
A third match against Morocco sealed their exit after a 3–1 thrashing, making the final group game against Kenya purely academic.
Kenya edged Zambia 1–0 in front of a raucous home crowd in Nairobi, confirming Chipolopolo’s humiliating exit without a single point earned.
The goal came courtesy of Kenya’s rising star Ryan Ogam, who slotted in the winner midway through the second half.
This result saw Kenya finish top of Group A, booking a spot in the quarterfinals and solidifying their growing reputation in African football.
Despite the torrid run, coach Avram Grant remained calm and gracious in his post-match comments. Speaking to the media, the former Chelsea and Ghana boss praised the hosts:
“The atmosphere was great—fantastic reception and hospitality by the Kenyan supporters,” Grant said. “I want to wish Kenya all the best in the rest of the competition. They deserve it.”
He also offered some perspective on Zambia’s broader goals:
“We came here to scout the next generation, to see which players can make it into the senior national team. That was the bigger target, and I’m happy I had the chance to observe the local talent firsthand.”
Grant was candid about Zambia’s poor results, but remained optimistic:
“We showed some improvement today, especially in our defensive structure. This was not about winning CHAN—it was about testing players from our domestic league in a competitive setting. I’m not worried about the future.”
His approach was pragmatic: using CHAN as a talent identification tool rather than a results-focused tournament. But for Zambian fans, that might not be enough to ease the sting.
On the flip side, Kenya’s performance has turned heads. Their disciplined, energetic squad topped a group featuring DR Congo, Morocco, and Zambia—three CHAN regulars.
With their progression into the knockout stage, the Harambee Stars have renewed belief that their football renaissance is real.
Zambians may not enjoy seeing their neighbors succeed at their expense, but Grant’s words showed maturity:
“Kenya’s team is well-prepared. They play with confidence and structure. I see a lot of potential in them—not just for CHAN, but in African football more broadly.”
Zambia now returns home to dissect what went wrong. With AFCON 2025 qualifiers and World Cup 2026 preliminary rounds approaching, the pressure is on to bounce back.
Grant, who was hired to usher in a new era of tactical stability and youth development, will need to convince fans that this tournament was a necessary step back for a bigger leap forward.
Zambia’s CHAN 2024 journey will be remembered as a low point—but Avram Grant’s humility, clarity, and respect for Kenya provided a rare silver lining.
While the team failed on the pitch, the coach reminded the continent that rebuilding a football powerhouse requires patience, vision—and grace in defeat.
By Kenyans