Grant Urges Chipolopolo to Bounce Back After CHAN 2024 Opener Defeat

NAIROBI, Kenya – Zambia head coach Avram Grant has called for calm and resilience as the Chipolopolo prepare to face Angola in their second Group A match at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Kenya.

Speaking during a pre-match press conference at Kasarani Stadium on Saturday, Grant reflected on Thursday’s 2-0 loss to DR Congo, stressing that one match does not decide a tournament’s outcome.

“Not everything in football goes like you want, but the most important thing is to recover. Even when you win, don’t think you know everything – stay humble,” said the Israeli tactician.

Grant drew on past experiences to motivate his squad, recalling Ghana’s run to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations final despite losing their opening game.
“I told the players in Ghana before, and I tell the players in Zambia now, nothing is finished in the first game. In 2010, Spain lost their first game at the World Cup to Switzerland and went on to win the trophy. My Ghana team lost the opener but beat Algeria 1-0, beat South Africa 2-1, and reached the final. Unfortunately, we lost on penalties, and I have a problem with penalties,” he said.

The former Chelsea boss emphasised that the squad has been shown examples of teams that recovered from slow starts and that morale remains high in camp.
“We said to the players before that nothing will be decided after the first game, whether we win or lose. The most important thing is how we react, and so far, it is looking good,” he noted.

Grant revealed that the team had a productive training session on Friday and remains focused on the next challenge.
“The key word in football is ‘next.’ Our target for this tournament remains the same. I like this tournament because it gives African local players the opportunity to show themselves,” he added.

Zambia will take on Angola tomorrow (Sunday) at Nyayo National Stadium, with kick-off set for 17h00 local time.