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Lesotho and Zambia go head to head at the King Zwelithini Stadium in the final of the 2023 COSAFA Cup on Sunday (July 16).
Lesotho were made to work their socks off to reach this stage of the tournament, as they needed penalties to edge out Malawi in the semifinals on Friday. That followed a decent run in the group stage, where they picked up two wins and lost one of their three games to finish atop Group C with a two-point lead over runners-up Angola.
Veselin Jelusic’s men will now set out to clinch their first COSAFA Cup crown as they make a second appearance in the final and their first since losing to Zimbabwe in 2003.
Meanwhile, Zambia caused an upset in the second semifinal, as they came from behind to see off hosts South Africa on Friday.
Avram Grant’s side had enjoyed a decent run in the group stages, where they picked up two wins and lost one of their three games to finish second in Group B. Zambia are tied with Zimbabwe as the most successful nation in the COSAFA Cup with six title wins and will look to make history on Sunday.
Lesotho vs Zambia Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- With nine wins from the last 13 meetings, Zambia boast a superior record in the fixture.
- Lesotho have picked up just two wins in that period, while the spoils have also been shared twice.
- Zambia have won all but one of their last five games against Jelusic’s men, scoring 12 goals and keeping two clean sheets since June 2013.
- Lesotho are 152nd in the FIFA rankings, while Zambia are 84th.
- Zambia are on a three-game winning streak, their longest run of consecutive wins since picking up four straight wins between June and July 2022.
Lesotho vs Zambia Prediction
Having reached the final in four of the last five years, Zambia head into the game as one of the most experienced sides. Grant’s men boast a significantly superior and more experienced squad and should claim the desired result.
Prediction: Lesotho 1-2 Zambia
Lesotho vs Zambia Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Zambia
Tip 2: Both teams to score - Yes (Zambia have not kept a clean sheet in four COSAFA Cup games)
Tip 3: Over 2.5 goals - Yes (There have been at least three goals scored in four of their last five meetings.)
