AFCON: Veteran Sunzu ruled out of Zambia’s opener

Zambia will open their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) journey on Monday without veteran defender Stoppila Sunzu.

The 2012 AFCON-winning star has fallen ill on the eve of the Group A game scheduled for Casablanca in Morocco. Zambia coach Moses Sichone confirmed that the China-based star will not be available for selection for the encounter.

Sichone said the defender developed abdominal pains on Saturday. The coach added that team doctors advised Sunzu against playing in the Group A match.

The towering defender is the only surviving playing squad member from the Zambian side that stunned Ivory Coast on post-match penalties to win the AFCON title for the first time in the history of the Southern African country.

The China-based Changchun Yatai player scored the winning penalty kick for Zambia in the 2012 final in Gabon. His 2012 squad mate Kennedy Mweene is now the goalkeeper coach working under Sichone.

Sichone gave the update on his squad selection during a pre-match press conference ahead of the opening match against Mali at 16:00 hours (CAT).