Zambia vs Comoros: The Copper Bullets are out to soak up a Temporary Top Spot in Group A

Zambia is seeking the full package this time around

Zambia can now dream of grabbing one of the two automatic qualification spots for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages, as they find themselves tied on points with Mali, who occupy second place. It all comes down to their performance in the remaining two rounds and how badly they want it. The top spot is already out of reach, with host nation Morocco likely the ones to top Group A.

Zambia showed a lot of fighting spirit in their opening match against Mali, who, according to many best online betting sites, were supposed to register their first three points of the tournament. 

The Copper Bullets should've lost that game if it wasn't for their opponents' wasteful opportunities, but a 1-1 draw in the end currently sees the dark horses of the group two points adrift of the top spot. 

Willard Mwanza played a role in the team salvaging a point. He saved El Bilal Toure's penalty kick in the 42nd minute to ensure that the match ended goalless at the interval. In that match, the 28-year-old made four out of five saves. The one goal conceded came in the 61st minute, but Leicester City forward Patson Daka equalized for his side in the dying embers of the game to keep his nation's hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

A win here could see them jump to first place in Group A. However, it'll be just temporary as they'll have to wait and see how the Morocco and Mali matchup, which plays later in the day, pans out.

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Comoros is in danger of being eliminated from the competition

Comoros' opening match against Morocco failed to depict a side hungry for success in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. It was the first half that raised concerns as they managed just one shot on target from just one attempt. They had a 0.04 xG compared to their oppenents 0.95 and managed just 21% of ball possession.

Check out the contrast between the first and second halves:

The numbers don't lie, as you can see, they paint a worrying picture. Victory was all but impossible, and a 2-0 defeat in Rabat at the end of the day came as no surprise. However, their disciplined defense must be praised as they held the Atlas Lions to a goalless draw at the interval.

The Coelacanths enter this clash hoping not to drop more points, as that would severely hurt their chances of either securing an automatic qualification knockout stage spot or finishing as one of the best third-placed teams in the competition.

Head coach Stefano Cusin has acknowledged that they will be up against a talented attacking group and will need to be focused if they are to secure important points. Meetings between them and Zambia have not been inspiring, with his side losing four of their last seven matches against this opponent. See what our experts have to say in our Zambia vs Comoros prediction for more betting insights on the match.

Can Zambia's Patson Daka deliver again?

Patson Daka was Zambia's savior in their opening match against Mali as his second-half stoppage-time equalizer prevented his side from suffering defeat, but salvaged a valuable point. That marked his 22nd international goal and also his fourth in four AFCON appearances, making him a proven goal scorer.

Daka's speed will be crucial in this matchup against a Comoros side that has displayed defensive solidity. His ability to find space inside the box was evident against Mali, where he exploited a gap to slot in a close-range header. It's possible that he could have scored more goals if it weren't for his side, which had few attacking threats.

Check out Patson Daka's stats against Mali:

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