Zambia Coach Reacts To World Cup Qualifiers Postponement

Zambia national team head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic is unhappy with the decision made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to postpone the opening group matches of Africa’s qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup.

CAF announced on Thursday that the qualifiers, which were set to begin in June, have been pushed to September due to the effects of Covid-19.

“This decision is setback for Chipolopolo and FAZ as we have done preparations that were reaching advanced stages of playing three international friendly matches as matter of checking operational levels of our individual players and whole team prior of playing away in Noudibhou Mauritania against Mourabitounes team and later taking on Tunisia in Ndola, but it was not meant to be,” Micho told FAZ website.

The last-minute postponement was also prompted by the absence of stadiums approved by CAF in 22 of the confederation’s 54 member countries.

Countries including Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, or Senegal would not have been able to play their home matches in June.

The qualifiers are now scheduled to take place in the existing windows of September, October and November 2021, and March 2022.

Zambia will be facing will take on Mauritania,Tunisia and Equatorial in the second round of the qualifiers in Group B. Only the winner of the group will be guaranteed a place in the final phase of the qualifiers.