Zambia head coach Moses Sichone on AFCON exit: It is painful to leave the tournament

Chipolopolo needed a result from their final Group A game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium after drawing their two opening matches, 1-1 with Mali and 0-0 with Comoros, but went down to a brace from Ayoub El Kaabi (9', 50'), either side of a Brahim Diaz (27') strike.

Reflecting on his team's AFCON exit, admitted it was painful to exit the tournament at the group stages.

He said on ZamFoot: "We did not show the same level we displayed in the previous matches. We made silly mistakes and Morocco punished us, and that is how the game ended.

"We can only apologise for the performance. It is painful to leave the tournament, but there is nothing more we can do now."

Sichone, only took charge of the team last month as a replacement for Avram Grant.

"We congratulate the teams that have qualified, while for us it is time to go back home and start planning how to build this team," the coach explained.

“It is never too late. Football is about investment and giving the process time. Zambia needs a bit of patience, and I am confident that by the next AFCON, we will see a very different team.”