Zambia and Tanzania will square off against each other at the Africa Cup of Nations. Which of these teams will be left standing at the end of this game?
Zambia vs Tanzania overview
This Group F game will take place at the Laurent Pokou Stadium on Sunday January 21. Kick-off time is 6 pm WAT.
Zambia
Zambia's AFCON opener ended in a stalemate. Although they drew first blood in their encounter with DR Congo, Avram Grant's men were unable to hold on for the win.
Given that they have a tough match-up with Morocco in round 3, Zambia can't afford to drop points in this clash.
Tanzania
On the other hand, Tanzania's opening game was a disaster, as they finished with 10 men in a 3-0 loss to Morocco.
Head coach Adel Amrouche was fired after that game after being handed an eight-match ban by CAF, and Hemed Suleiman will take over on an interim basis.
As it stands, Tanzania will need a positive result from this match in order to keep their hopes alive. It'll be interesting to see how they'll fare against Zambia.
Zambia vs Tanzania head to head
These teams initially met in a friendly game in May 1967. As it stands, they've clashed a total of 32 times, and Zambia currently lead the head-to-head with 18 wins.
Nine of 32 skirmishes between these outfits ended in stalemates, while Tanzania came out on top on five occasions.
Interestingly, while these teams clashed in the qualifying rounds of this tournament (1970, 1979 & 2003), this will be their first meeting at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Furthermore, the most recent encounter between these sides took place at the African Nations Championships (CHAN) in January 2021. Zambia won the last times these teams went head-to-head.
Zambia vs Tanzania potential lineups
Former Chelsea coach Avram Grant will likely adopt a 4-1-4-1 formation for this game, with Patson Daka leading the charge. The Leicester City player provided an assist in Zambia's opening game.
On the other hand, Novatus Dismas will not be available for selection, after picking up two yellow cards in his previous match. The Tanzanians are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Simba FC's Aishi Manula starting between the sticks.
With that being said, these are our probable Zambia vs Tanzania lineups:
Zambia
Goalkeeper: Lawrence Mulenga.
Defenders: Rodrick Kabwe, Frankie Musonda, Stoppila Sunzu, Tandi Mwape.
Midfielders: Kelvin Kapumbu, Fashion Sakala, Emmanuel Banda, Kings Kangwa, Lubambo Musonda.
Forwards: Patson Daka.
Tanzania
Goalkeeper: Aishi Manula.
Defenders: Mohamed Husseini, Hamad Bacca, Bakari Nondo, Haji Mnoga.
Midfielders: Mao Mkami, Mudathir Yahya, Morice Abraham.
Forwards: Tarryn Allarakhia, Charles M’Mombwa, Ally Samatta.
Zambia vs Tanzania tactical analysis
As it stands, Zambia are coming off back-to-back draws, with no wins in their last three matches. On the positive side, they've scored in five consecutive matches, bagging 10 goals in that stretch.
On the other hand, Tanzania are currently on a three-match losing streak, conceding eight times in the process. They also struggled to find the net, scoring no goals in that three-game stretch.
Zambia vs Tanzania prediction
To be fair, neither team has really impressed in recent months. However, Zambia have fared relatively better than their opponents.
Taking into account that Chipolopolo won the last three skirmishes between these teams, our Zambia vs Tanzania prediction is a victory for Zambia.
Where to watch Zambia vs Tanzania live
ZNBC Zambia and AfroSport TV will broadcast this match for fans who reside in Zambia.
Meanwhile those who live in Tanzania can catch all the action on Supersport and StarTimes.
