This game will serve as the opening encounter for both sides in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, with Group A consisting of Senegal, Zambia, Libya and co-hosts Equatorial Guinea. Senegal go into this competition as one of the three main favourites alongside Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, and expectations back in Dakar are very high.

An impressive qualification campaign where they topped the group ahead of Cameroon and DR Congo whet the appetites of African fans, and Senegal will no doubt be the neutral observer's favourite to cause a stir in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Their attacking options are bewildering, with a top class array of talents in the form of Demba Ba, Mamadou Niang, Moussa Sow and Papiss Demba Cisse sure to trouble opposition defence, Zambia will need to be in form to keep the Teranga Lions from scoring.

Zambia coach Herve Renard has said that it is crucial his team defeats Senegal in their opening game of the 2012 Afcon in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, as he believes that a win would propel the Chipolopolo into the knockout rounds. Even though Renard’s team defeated the west Africans in their two meetings during the inaugural Championship of African Nations (Chan) in 2009, he knows they are among the favourites to win the trophy.

The Zambians have additional motivation to reach the final of the Afcon in Libreville, as they want to do well in memory of the Chipolopolo squad that was killed in a 1993 plane crash. For it was in Libreville, the Gabonese capital, where the Zambian team’s Air Force plane last refuelled before it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on the way to Senegal for a World Cup qualifying match. The Zambians will certainly be thinking about that as they open their Afcon account on Saturday.

Stopilla Sunzu suffered a slight pulled muscle during a training match last week, but could still be fit enough to play a part in this match for Zambia, while Hichani Himoonde is likely to take his place at the back. The Teranga Lions have a full squad available for this clash, and will be hoping to keep their stars fit and available throughout their tournament run.

Senegaaaaaaaaaal!!!! 

my durrrling Armand Traore

10pm? Thats very late.

Please does anyone know the name of the song super sport uses to advertise the afcon 2012 on dstv, the song goes like this africa o africa o my countryland africa africa africa eh.

zambia coach is segzy

Game on!!

diawara behave yasef oh

corner for zambia . , taken short . .dem wan score winch

zambia go soon score see this senegalese oh shiooorrrr

demba ba hmmm

bad tackle on mamadou niang .

gooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaal zambia scoreeeeeeeeee

By the look of things, Zambia may bag this game.

hahahahahahahahahahaha see barthez in senegalese goal

its a pity Zambia didnt capitalize . . .na 2 -0 by now

chai! Wonderful miss

ref please no ojoro hia oh

poor freekick mamadou niang

senegal keeper na die

corner for zambia

demba is under lock and key

hmmm. Goalkeeper don tire

gooaaaalll

zambia 2 - senegal 0

Goal

2-0 , am dancing with Zambians

^
he has arrived

wowwww. Another wonderful goal. Zambia 2-0 senegal

Zambia don tear bookmakers book O!
Senegal don drink palmy O!

another name for senegalese goalie = basket

after all the bragging and hyping abt senegal by some Black Stars haters on here , see wht dem dey do senegal, NEXT is ur toothless Ivory Coast, u guyz keep writing mighty Ghana (BLACK STARS) of yet we keep aiming higher in all competions. . . . . . . .   , I jus luv the way y'all keep writing the Black Stars off though

**still a long way to go in this match though

mukina2:

^
he has arrived  

i dey house gidigba , how u dey ?