Russia Thrash Zambia 5-0 in Friendly, Grant Laments Lack of Training Time
Zambia’s struggles against non-African opponents continued as the Chipolopolo suffered a crushing 5-0 defeat to Russia in an international friendly played in Moscow on Tuesday night. The loss extends Zambia’s winless streak against teams outside Africa to 14 years, with their last victory coming in 2011 against India.
Glushenkov Hat-Trick Sinks Chipolopolo
The Russian side dominated from start to finish, opening the scoring in just the 8th minute when Maksim Glushenkov capitalized on a defensive lapse to put the hosts ahead.
Despite some flashes of promise from Joseph Sabobo Banda, Zambia struggled to create clear-cut chances. Russia doubled their lead in the 43rd minute, as Ilia Vakhania found the net following a Kabaso Chongo own-goal off a Danil Krugovoi cross. By halftime, Zambia had failed to register a single shot on target, trailing 2-0.
The second half saw Russia ramp up the pressure, pinning Zambia deep in their own half. Glushenkov struck again in the 53rd minute, finishing from inside the box after a well-placed pass from Vakhania. Just five minutes later, the Russian forward completed his hat-trick, burying an Andrei Mostovoi assist while Zambia’s defense stood helpless.
The final blow came in the 77th minute when Aleksey Batrakov sealed Russia’s five-star performance after Zambia’s Gift Mpande failed to clear his lines, allowing the substitute to pounce and make it 5-0.
Avram Grant Reacts: “We Only Had One Good Training Session”
Following the heavy defeat, Chipolopolo head coach Avram Grant pointed to the lack of adequate preparation as a major factor in the team’s poor showing.
“Congratulations to Russia on their victory; they played well! I don’t want to make excuses, but we only had one good training session and were missing several players due to technical issues. For us, this match was a valuable opportunity to test ourselves, and we gained important experience. I would also like to thank the RFU for their hospitality.”
While the friendly match was meant to provide Zambia with a competitive test, the result exposed several areas that need urgent improvement, particularly defensive organization and finishing in the final third.
Zambia’s Struggles Against Non-African Opponents Continue
The result means Zambia’s winless run against teams outside Africa now stretches to 14 years. The Chipolopolo last secured a victory against a non-African opponent in 2011, when they thrashed India 5-0.
With upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and other competitive fixtures ahead, Grant and his team will need to regroup quickly and address the gaps that were exposed in Moscow.
