National team coach Wedson Nyirenda says the African Nations Championship (CHAN) quarterfinal clash against Sudan will not be easy.

Zambia topped group B to set a quarterfinal date with Sudan after drawing 1-1 with Namibia who will face hosts Morocco.

Despite topping group B, Nyirenda said his players were complacent in the one-all draw against Namibia in the final group match at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca on Monday night.

“My players were very complacent and thought it was going to be an easy game. We were shocked in the first half, Namibia got the goal first but we reacted and came with an equalizer through our young boy Lazarus but one thing I can say about the team is that they have shown a lot of character that they want to win despite all the difficulties that we are getting into at times,” he said.

Nyirenda said the team’s ultimate goal of winning the title is still alive and that the game against Sudan will not be taken lightly.

“We came into this tournament with the aim of winning this cup. We may go through some obstacles here and there but that is the name of football. We are getting somewhere. We are going to meet Sudan in Marrakech, it is not going to be an easy game. Every game that we have played has not been easy. You saw the way Namibia was coming at us, it was not an easy game,” he said.

And Namibia coach Ricardo Manetti dared Morocco saying his side is motivated enough to face any team.

“Now that we know that we are playing Morocco I do not think that we should be under any pressure as Namibia, the stadium is going to be packed (80, 000), my players are going to enjoy the occasion, they will love it. We are tired of playing in empty stadiums, we deserve playing in the quarterfinals and we deserve to play before a full stadium. I am looking forward to play Morocco on Saturday, Manetti said.

Zambia came from behind to equalize through Lazarus Kambole in the 24thminute after conceding a Vitapi Ngaruka’s 13th minute stunner.