AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Zambia earn first win with 2-0 victory over Togo

Zambia secured their first points in the AFCON 2027 qualifiers by beating Togo 2-0 in Group I on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.

The Chipolopolo made the ideal start when Kangwanda opened the scoring in the second minute. Togo were unable to find an equaliser before half-time as Zambia maintained control of the match.

The Eperviers pushed forward after the interval in search of a way back into the game, but Zambia’s defence held firm. Despite Togo’s efforts, the score remained unchanged for much of the second half.

Zambia’s lead was finally doubled in the closing stages when Mandanji found the net to secure a composed victory.

The result gives Zambia their first points of the AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, while Togo will need to respond in their next match.

Daraja Kapoor

Daraja Kapoor is a highly respected football journalist, editor and analyst, known for his compelling storytelling and sharp, data-driven insights into the game. He specialises in match analysis, features, emerging talent coverage and football trends across Africa.He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Cape Coast and has built a strong reputation in the media industry through his disciplined approach and deep understanding of football.Daraja received his journalistic training at leading news platform Ghanaguardian.com and has worked with some of the most prominent football websites in Ghana, including Footballmadeinghana.com and Ghanasoccernet.com. He also served as Sports Editor of Talysports.com, where he played a key role in shaping editorial direction and content strategy.He is currently the Managing Editor of African.Football, where he leads the platform’s editorial vision, overseeing content production, quality control and the delivery of authoritative African football coverage to a global audience.

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